Jinchuriki Hinata! Meow?
by SorceryGeniusLina
Summary: Akatsuki member aka Hidan’s lover is out for revenge. Naruto becomes Shika’s bodyguard and is trying to learn a new technique. A mysterious woman approaches Hinata with an offer she can’t refuse when it means being able to help the young man she loves.N/H
1. Chapter 1

Jinchuriki Hinata!! Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, though I wish I did he's sooo cute!

Author's note: I've always wanted to write a Naruto/Hinata fanfic and this idea just wouldn't leave me, so here ya go peeps! Okay, my fic starts right after Naruto comes home after defeating the Akatsuki member with his new technique Rasen-Shuriken. Forgive any mistakes you find, I edited this myself. Oh and I sort of did a fan pic for this story check it out at my artist website if you want:

http://ladymafdet(dot)deviantart(dot)com

Chapter 1: _Secrets_

Hyuga Hinata had two secrets.

Her first secret was that she was a total stalker. She had perfected the Shadow Clone Jutsu in order to have her clone shadow Naruto on ALL his missions – that way she could know everything about him. And she had learned a LOT.

Her clone had been there on the mission Naruto, Sakura, Sai and Yamato had been on to seek out Sasori on possible leads to Orochimaru's current hideout. And so her Shadow Clone had been witness to the ensuing battle between Naruto and Orochimaru.

She had learned about how Naruto was a Jinchuriki and about how Akatsuki was after Naruto as well.

It all suddenly made sense. The pieces that Hinata had gathered of her beloved Naruto had finally been pieced together; the glue had been 'discovered'. Since the very beginning Hinata had been gathering 'puzzle pieces' and 'facts' of the boy she loved but…the puzzle had never made sense. It had always been incomplete – until now.

The way the villagers had looked at and shunned Naruto when he was younger…Naruto's thirst to prove himself to everyone that he wasn't just a monster. His occasional displays of superhuman strength and abilities…

It all made sense now.

There happened to be two puzzle pieces that annoyed Hinata very much, however: Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. She wished she could just toss these two puzzle pieces away. Her mouth almost quirked into something that might have resembled an evil grin at the thought – though this was Hinata so it merely appeared to be an amused smirk.

Uchiha Sasuke…the Avenger - was a total asshole. Sure, he had been the first person to ever 'acknowledge' Naruto (not counting herself of course) and so Naruto considered Sasuke a 'friend' because of this. This mere 'acknowledgement' by Sasuke had apparently meant _soo_ much to Naruto that even now he wouldn't give up on the asinine idea of bringing Sasuke 'home'.

Then there was Haruno Sakura. Naruto's first love…Sakura was a totally selfish, and conniving _bitch_. Naruto loved and cared for Sakura so much that his heart had broken when Sakura's did when Sasuke left…that's why he made that promise to Sakura:

_I'll get him back Sakura…that's a promise of a lifetime!_

--Yes, Hinata had been there to witness this – well – her Shadow Clone had been there.

And so Naruto had been training so very hard to be able to fulfill his promise to that selfish bitch Sakura …he'd even had to leave Konoha and train with Jiraiya-_sensei_ for two years and because of this Hinata hadn't been able to spy on her beloved Naruto-_kun _because of it! Talk about Naruto-withdrawal.

One would most likely assume that the normal reaction to finding out that Naruto was a Jinchuriki might have been fear but not Hinata.

When Hinata had found out Naruto was a Jinchuriki all she felt was sadness for the boy she had come to love…

It was when Hinata had been mentally looking down happily at her completed 'puzzle' of Uzumaki Naruto after discovering that he was a Jinchuriki…

And right then, she had realized that the price for having been able to complete her puzzle was too high.

Hinata felt this 'gulf' open up between her and Naruto – one that widened the gulf that had already been there dramatically…

With each passing day Naruto was just getting father and father away from her…dammit! And people like Sakura…Sasuke…they deserved to die! There was Naruto ready to be their friend, arms open wide, practically begging them to be his friend and to acknowledge him, and what did they do?

Sakura treated Naruto horribly – hitting him, making fun of him, and worst of all using him and his power for her own aims – to get Sasuke, her love back. Oh yes, she was a conniving little bitch alright, but slowly as the darkness of Hinata's own anger and hatred had formed 'something' inside of Hinata, she had then been able to see the 'something' inside of Sakura.

Sakura's second mind.

And because of this she knew Sakura was just using Naruto while laughing it up on the inside.

And as for Sasuke. He was a selfish, loser, bastard, asshole, who just cared about his revenge and didn't value Naruto's friendship and Bond as much as he should. Maybe she should just kill Sakura and Sasuke? Or even Itachi? Then Sasuke would no longer have to be an Avenger and would have to come back to Konoha and Naruto would be happy…

Naruto…all she wished for was Naruto's happiness, which was why she wouldn't actually kill Sakura or Sasuke. Sigh. No…that would have made Naruto sad.

But…Hinata didn't know how much more she could take of secretly watching Naruto suffer from the shadows and not doing anything about it – or perhaps not being able to do anything about it…

But that's why Hinata had also been training extra hard, waiting for the chance when she could actually be of some help to Naruto. Sigh.

Uzumaki Naruto…was the puzzle truly complete? Hinata mentally looked down at the finished puzzle she had of her love and realized something. There were still a few missing puzzle pieces.

Mainly, Naruto's parents. Just who were they? Had they both been killed the day that Kyuubi attacked? But then why would the Fourth Hokage chose to seal the Kyuubi inside of the child of two parents that had been killed by Kyuubi…

What right did he have to make that kind of a decision…unless…the Forth Hokage was Naruto's father? Then it would all make sense! But then…why had the fact that Naruto was the Fourth's son been kept a secret?

That just didn't make any sense. Hinata furrowed her brows in thought. If everyone had known Naruto was the Fourth's son…he would have been treated with respect in the village from the very beginning even being the Jinchuriki of Kyuubi.

So why hide Naruto's parentage…who was Naruto's mother? Perhaps this was the _real _question. Had she been killed by Kyuubi…or was she alive?

Hinata intended to complete her puzzle of Naruto but the more she learned about him the sadder and angrier she seemed to become…

Hinata shook her head thinking back to Naruto's battle against the pseudo-Jinchuriki Sora. Yes, she had also been there watching this too. And recently she had been spying on Naruto while he had miraculously managed to come up with a powerful new technique…

Rasen-Shuriken. Hinata also knew all about how Rasen-Shuriken had harmed Naruto's chakra circulatory system.

Hinata's fists clenched at her sides, enough was enough. Naruto was destroying himself he-!

Hinata was currently on the roof of the Konoha Hospital while spying on her beloved Naruto in person rather than using a Shadow Clone like she normally would have when suddenly Naruto's voice called out:

"_Oi!_ Hinata! I know you're there. Why don't you come in and say hi!"

Hinata nearly fell off the roof in shock. Naruto had sensed her presence?! Shit! Hinata pulled herself together and swung into Naruto's room lithely from the window – the move had been _cool~_ _elegant~_ that was until she had turned to face Naruto, and he just had to grin broadly at her-

His smile! It was just too brilliant! Cute guy overload! Hinata promptly tripped and collapsed flat on her face. Ow! Hinata turned red, _Ugh! How embarrassing!_

Naruto just laughed good-humoredly, "_Oi! Daijoubu ka?_ Hinata-_chan?_"

Hinata quickly pulled herself up off the ground. She had vowed to herself that she wouldn't act like such an idiot around him but – when she saw him face to face, in person, and with him lying right there in front of her…in reality!! It was just too much. _I think I'm going to faint…mou! _"_H-hai._" Hinata quickly responded, stuttering, "And you Naruto-_kun_, how are you?"

Naruto just kept smiling, "Oh, this is nothing!" Naruto raised his broken and casted arm, "Well, nothing that will stop the Great Uzumaki Naruto!"

--_Lair._ Inner Hinata growled. _You're a big fat liar. Rasen-Shuriken will slowly destroy you if you continue to use it but…you don't care do you? You don't care about yourself or what happens to you as long as you can get Sasuke back and make Sakura smile…_

Hinata clenched her fists at her sides and frowned darkly, unconsciously…

Naruto blinked at her and his expression fell, suddenly worried. He wasn't use to seeing Hinata with such an expression on her face. Did she know the truth about his arm maybe? "Uh, Hinata-_chan_ are you alright?"

Hinata quickly snapped out of it. She couldn't believe she had just frowned at her Naruto! _Mou!_ "_H-hai._"

Naruto seemed relieved by her change in demeanor and let out a breath of relief. "Thank you for coming to visit me, Hinata. That was very nice of you."

Hinata blushed, "Oh no…it was nothing." She tapped her fingertips together nervously.

"Although…you're so _weird_, Hinata." Naruto began nonchalantly, "Why were you hiding outside like that?"

Hinata's eyes widened. She didn't know how to respond to _that_. And Naruto had just called her weird…her heart fell…

Naruto put his hands behind his head, "You shouldn't hide like that – if you want to visit just come on in okay?"

Hinata looked up in surprise, her heart rising up, hope building in her chest. _Rebirth!!_ She smiled at him.

Naruto's brow furrowed as he looked at Hinata thoughtfully, "Though I still don't get it…are you afraid of me or something, Hinata? I've been wondering about this for a while now actually. About why you act so oddly around me-"

Hinata's jaw dropped open. Naruto thought she was afraid of him?! This was awful! She HAD to fix this. But how?! She could barely speak around him!! _Come on Hinata! You can do this! Yosha!_ "_Ano_…Naruto-_kun_, that's not it…the reason why…"

"It's because she's the 'Shy Type'." Came a nonchalant and monotone voice.

Both Naruto and Hinata turned to see Sai leaning casually up against the doorway. He was currently reading a book and as he strolled in he didn't look up from it and simply kept on reading.

"Sai." Naruto greeted, and then- "What do you mean by 'Shy Type'?"

"It says it right here in this book… '_How to Read a Woman's Emotions_' – it's fascinating. Anyways, a shy girl isn't able to speak properly around the guy she likes because she gets nervous. The shy type also has a habit of stuttering and fidgeting with her hands."

Hinata was absolutely mortified. Where the hell had Sai gotten that damned book!? _Oh my god…Naruto knows now…oh my god!_

Naruto's eyes widened like saucers at Sai's description. That was JUST like Hinata! So that's what it meant – she didn't dislike or fear him she – Naruto smiled goofily. "_Soka, soka_, I see, I see. That's just like Hinata Sai! So that means that Hinata likes me?!" Naruto questioned loudly and enthusiastically.

Sai nodded sagely, "Yes."

Naruto grinned, "That's great!"

Hinata thought she would faint right there on the spot. Amazingly she stayed conscious.

"Hinata likes me as a friend." Naruto was still nodding to himself, finally coming to this understanding and patting himself on the back for it. "I'd like to be your friend too Hinata!"

Hinata and Sai both blinked. Friend…?

_Safe!!_ Hinata realized in relief. However-

Sai began to correct Naruto, "Naruto, I meant that Hinata must like you as more than-"

Hinata suddenly sprang into action. She could not have her secret of being in love with Naruto be revealed just yet. She just…wasn't ready or mentally prepared enough for this. So she grasped Sai and slapped a hand over his mouth. She then whispered in his ear in a low, deadly voice, "One more word and you're dead."

Sai gulped. He could feel the finger that Hinata had pressed to one of his heart's chakra holes – if she really wanted to she could have killed him instantly using the famous Hyuga technique. Whoa. He had totally underestimated this quiet girl. She was…dangerous.

Naruto watched the exchange with interest.

Sai nodded under Hinata's hand and she suddenly let him go. She couldn't believe she just did something like that in front of Naruto!!

Naruto however looked impressed, "_Suge_, Cool, you moved really fast just then Hinata. I could barely follow your movements. You must have gotten a lot stronger while I was away! And I heard you've become a _chuunin_ too! That's great!"

"Naruto-_kun_," Hinata's cheeks turned pink and she smiled shyly back at him. Naruto was praising her! _Whee~_ "_A-arigato._"

Sai gave Hinata an incredulous look. A girl that powerful completely turned into a puddle of goo as soon as she addressed Naruto. Could she be…what was it called again? Ah yes! Love. Hyuga Hinata must be in love with Naruto. Sai nodded to himself.

"I on the other hand am still a _genin_. Pretty pathetic huh?" Naruto turned to look out the window sadly, a far-off look in his eyes, "I need to work harder and become stronger too…somehow…"

Hinata's heart clenched painfully in her chest. She wanted to yell out: No! It's enough Naruto! You've done more than enough! Let me handle it from here…but she couldn't. She couldn't say anything…Hinata clenched her fists at her sides. _I'm so…pathetic! He's in pain and I can't do anything about it! _Tears sprung up to Hinata's eyes. _Oh shit! I can't let him see me cry. _"I…have to go…bye Naruto-_kun_." Hinata murmured before she jumped out the window and disappeared.

Naruto watched her go in a mixture of surprise and hurt. "Hinata!" He shook his head, "What a strange girl."

Sai, however, had noticed the tears in her eyes as she had jumped past him and then out the window. "Naruto…who was that?"

Naruto turned back to Sai, "Oh her? Hyuga Hinata. She's a dark, quiet, slightly strange person but…she's nice."

Sai raised an eyebrow at this description, "So she's a friend of yours?"

Naruto looked off in the direction she had gone, a thoughtful expression on his face, "Yes." He said after a moment, firmly.

"Just a friend?" Sai prodded casually.

Naruto turned to face him, brows furrowed, "What do you mean?"

Sai nodded to himself. So, Naruto didn't see Hinata as a 'woman' that much was obvious and Naruto also seemed to be completely oblivious and clueless that this girl was in love with him. _Hmm~_ but she was rather attractive and not only that - powerful. Naruto deserved someone who would appreciate him. Perhaps, he would help Miss Hinata somehow to get Naruto to see her as a woman. That could be, what was the word again…fun. A smirk formed on Sai's face.

"Dude, what's with the creepy smile?" Naruto asked, he had a bad feeling about this.

Like is? Hate it? Shall I continue…? Please let me know, thanks!

Like One Piece? Check out my RePost of Nami's Dark Little Secret. Yea…I have a thing about girls and secrets don't I? What can I say us girls are mysterious creatures that aren't at all what we seem _buwhahaha~_

*~*~Sophia Hughlette~*~*

Author of the anime-style novel, Shinigami Boy, Add me – Facebook, Twitter


	2. Chapter 2 Broken Mind, Broken Love

Jinchuriki Hinata! Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto Shippuden! I wish I did!

Chapter 2: _Broken Mind, Broken Love_

Note: To make this easier to read thoughts will also be put into single quotes kk!

'_I'm so…pathetic!_' Hinata thought to herself as she ran and kept on running…before she realized it she had made it to the nearby forest. She looked around realizing that this was the forest that she sometimes came to to train in secret…

But what did innocent little Hyuga Hinata have to hide?

Anger, frustration, hate for Akatsuki and her own weakness filled Hinata and her eyes burned. "Ahhh!" Hinata let out a cry as she got into a fighting stance and began to perform her Gentle Fist _kata_. Training in this manner would sometimes help ease the conflicting emotions that were roiling within her.

'_Useless…I'm completely useless…_' Hinata screamed in her mind.

Thunder boomed and lightning flashed overhead. The sky was beginning to mirror Hinata's dark mood as gray clouds began to race across the darkening sky. A storm was coming.

"_Byakugan!_" Hinata activated her _ninja_ eyes and everything suddenly became clearer and it almost appeared as if the entire world had slowed down around her. She continued to perform her _kata_ but…it still wasn't enough. It was never enough.

Hinata looked around with her _Byakugan_ to see if there was anyone nearby – there was no one. _Hmm~_ that meant she could practice 'it'.

Hinata formed a hand seal and her eyes glowed silver. She could see even more clearly than before now. She looked over at a tree and could see the chakra lines running through it but past that she could now see something else – another set of lines which revealed the structure of the tree and its true 'heart' or in other words its 'weak point'. "_Byakugan_ Forbidden Technique! All-Seeing Eye! _Hooryah!_" Hinata attacked thrusting her palm forward, which was surrounded by chakra at the 'weak point' she had spotted. It connected and-

BOOM

The entire tree had been destroyed, completely obliterated from the inside out.

This was Hinata's second secret: The forbidden Hyuga _ninja _technique: All-Seeing Eye.

After Hinata had found out that Akatsuki had their sights set on Naruto she knew if she wanted to protect him that she would have to become stronger – especially if she wanted to be able to face the caliber of enemies that would surely be coming after Naruto…

And that's when she heard this 'rumor' at the Hyuga Mansion about a powerful yet forbidden _ninja_ technique that only _Byakugan_ users could use. Hinata's interest had immediately been piqued. And so after a little bit of digging Hinata found that the scroll, which contained the forbidden technique, was stored in her father's study…

So one night after dark Hinata had snuck into his study and stolen the Forbidden Scroll. When she brought the scroll back to her bedroom she had unfurled it to read about the technique – she had discovered it was called 'All-Seeing Eye' and that once mastered increased the effectiveness of the _Byakugan_ a hundred fold.

Where the normal _Byakugan _could See a person's chakra circulatory system and inflict damage on it as well as on the person's heart…All-Seeing Eye took things to the next level and let Hinata See chakra circulatory systems in trees, plants, and even rocks. And not only that – it allowed Hinata to be able to see a thing's weakness or it's weak spot.

In this manner Hinata could now destroy or obliterate any 'object' that came in her path…

And as for using the technique on humans? This was one of the reasons why the technique was forbidden…if a person's 'weak point' was struck it would cause a domino effect along the lines of the person's circulatory system – the person would be destroyed from the inside out and explode, as if a bomb had gone off inside of the person. It was a gruesome death and for this reason the All-Seeing Eye was considered a cruel, merciless, bloody technique…

All-Seeing Eye took up a LOT of chakra too so Hinata could only currently keep it activated for about 30 seconds, tops.

And apparently there was one other reason why the All-Seeing Eye was forbidden. Hinata read down the scroll to find unexpectedly that this entry had oddly been erased…

Hinata had shrugged this off and decided to teach herself to use the technique anyways. Anything that could possibly help her to protect Naruto was worth learning she decided.

Hinata kept her All-Seeing Eye activated and continued to target the surrounding trees in the forest. One by one the trees were completely obliterated.

And then the rain began to fall and yet Hinata didn't stop training.

"_Hooryah!_" She brought her palm forward again to the center of a large rock and jumped back as the rock was blasted apart. '_Not enough…still not enough…Naruto!_'

30 seconds later…

Hinata stood still as the cold hard rain pounded down upon her mercilessly, drenching her to the bone with freezing sheets of water. She looked up at the stormy sky that mirrored her tumultuous mood. The rain hit her face and her eyes stopped glowing silver as the All-Seeing Eye was deactivated.

All around her lay destruction…pieces of what were once trees and rocks. She had nearly obliterated half of the forest this time around. She'd have to find a _new _forest to train in soon if she kept this up…Sigh.

'_Naruto…when will I ever be stronger enough? Or good enough…for you?_' Hinata thought before all the strength seemed to leave her and she fell forward and lay unconscious on the ground as the rain continued to come down upon her.

The next day…

Somewhere in Shika Forest, a cloaked and hooded Akatsuki member made her way through the dense forest. Her black cloak which had red clouds on it whipped in the wind…she could feel eyes upon her. She shivered; they must be the 'Guardians' of this forest. Luckily, she had a few 'guardians' of her own…

Around the woman's feet were several spiders and as the woman walked through the forest, the spiders there seemed to sense her 'presence' and came down from the nearby trees, flying on silken threads to play in the air around her…

She was almost there. If it wasn't for her little friends she probably wouldn't have been able to make it this far until finally she reached a sudden clearing in the forest.

There it was – the 'sealed' grave of her love: Hidan.

"Keh," Yami frowned thoughtfully. "Hidan…don't worry, my love. I'll get you out of there soon." Yami formed a hand seal and suddenly from out of the forest hundreds of spiders poured out from between the trees and bushes. A blue-tinged aura of chakra surrounded Yami as she concentrated her will into the will of the spiders. They all swarmed to the grave and began to eat away at the dirt until it had been emptied.

Yami looked down and could see Hidan's body parts. "Now! Retrieve him!" Yami commanded and her spiders obeyed as they began to carry Hidan's body parts up and out of the grave one by one…

The spiders then flawlessly arranged Hidan's body parts together and lastly brought up his head.

"Hidan! I came for-" Yami began enthusiastically as she caught sight of his head and their eyes met. His red eyes were wide open but the expression on his face made the words die on her lips. His eyes were wide, his pupils dilated with fear and his teeth were chattering. "Hidan!" Yami exclaimed as she picked up his head and stared urgently into his eyes. "It's me – Yami! I've come for you my love!"

But Hidan just looked through her and didn't respond. Yami's eyes burned. "Don't worry, my love, I shall put you back together again, and then-" Her voice cracked. "And then you'll be back to normal." She gently set Hidan's head down next to his severed neck and torso.

She performed a hand seal and all around her silvery, silky strands of what appeared to be thread began to form in the air around her, surrounding her body but mostly her hands – it was spider's silk. "Mend no justsu!" Yami commanded and she moved her hands forward through the air so that her spider's thread went flying towards Hidan's body parts…her silk threads of spider's webbing began to sew Hidan's body parts together skillfully until Hidan was whole once more.

"Hidan!" Yami rushed to his side and helped him to sit up, "How are you feeling?"

But Hidan's gaze was still dazed and his teeth were chattering…

"Hidan! It's me Yami…tell me, who did this to you?!" She demanded.

"The deer…they're everywhere…they're watching me…I can't escape. I can never escape them. Don't you see?" Hidan looked at her with a beseeching expression on his face. His voice was that of a scared child. "They're watching. They're _always _watching. He…he said they'd never leave me alone and he was right."

Yami's brows furrowed. He must have been talking about the deer she had sensed in the forest. "Who? Who told you this Hidan, my love?"

"A boy from Konoha…a genius kid named…Shikamaru." Hidan wrapped his arms around his knees and began to rock back and forth…

As Yami looked at him her heart broke. Her powerful, strong, beautiful _savior_ Hidan had been reduced to _this_. "_Yurusanai!_ Unforgivable! I won't forgive this boy…Shikamaru!" Her fists clenched at her sides, the nails of her hands dug into the delicate palms of her hands. "Shikamaru will pay dearly for this!"

"I'm such an idiot…" Naruto moaned to himself aloud as he strolled down the busy streets of Konoha. And this he knew was part of the problem. How could he ever truly surpass the 4th Hokage if he was just this dumb? "Ahhh!" Naruto ruffled his hair in exasperation.

His arm was still in a cast but he had been released from the hospital. He was dumb…but not _that _dumb. Naruto knew that he couldn't use Rasen-Shuriken again…if he did there'd be a chance that he would lose his ability to mold chakra…and then he'd have to stop being a _ninja_, give up on bringing Sasuke home, and give up on his dream of being _Hokage_.

Naruto shook his head. No! He'd be willing to pay any price except for that. He couldn't break the promise he had made to Sakura…he couldn't fail Sasuke or the village.

It took a real idiot to come up with a useless technique that nearly killed him and messed with his chakra circulatory system. Sigh. If only he were smarter then maybe he would have been able to figure out how to create a really awesome technique by combining wind chakra and Rasengan without it backfiring and hurting himself, but Naruto frowned to himself. He just couldn't think of anything and his brain was beginning to hurt as he tried to puzzle it out.

Dammit! If only he were as smart as someone say like Shikamaru or something… '_Shikamaru! That's it! Maybe Shikamaru would know of a way that I'll be able to use Rasen-Shuriken without it backfiring upon myself. If anyone could figure out the solution to the problem it would have to be Shikamaru!'_ "Yosh!" Naruto pumped the air, smirking to himself now that he had an idea. He'd go and bug, err, ask Shikamaru about it right away!

So, Naruto went off in search of Shikamaru and was directed by Ino to one of Shikamaru's favorite haunts – a grassy hillside, which was perfect for cloud gazing…and sure enough there was Shikamaru, lying on his back under the single tree that was on the hillside, his hands behind his head as he looked up at the clouds going by with a thoughtful look on his face. "Asuma-_sensei_…" Shikamaru said in a low voice, his expression pained.

"Yo! Shikamaru!" Came Naruto's loud voice as he trudged up the hill and towards Shikamaru.

Shikamaru sat up and blinked at Naruto, "Naruto? What's up?"

Naruto came over and plopped himself down next to Shikamaru and gave him a serious look, "I need your help with something."

Shikamaru blinked, "Me?"

Naruto nodded, "You're the smartest _ninja_ in the village, Shikamaru. If anyone can help me with this it would be you!" Naruto nodded assuredly.

Pink tinged Shikamaru's cheeks at Naruto's praise. The boy was just way too…direct. It was troublesome dealing with guys like him. "_Masaka_..no way, what do you need help with anyways?"

"It's my new technique: Rasen-Shuriken. There must be a way that I can use the technique without it backfiring on me…a way to…perfect it, ya know?"

Shikamaru frowned. Ah, so this was what Naruto needed help with. He had heard about this from Ino and Choji – the technique was incredible but…according to Tsunade Naruto's chakra circulatory system had been damaged because of it. Truly a double-edged sword. The price was too high to pay to use such a technique. _It would be better if…_ "You should give it up. You shouldn't usethat technique again. It's too dangerous." _Naruto will only end up hurting himself if he uses that damned technique. I'm sick of seeing people close to me getting hurt. I should be stronger than this. This is what it means to be a ninja after all. The way I feel is illogical. How ironic that I feel this way though. _

Naruto stood up. "But I just know there has to be a way to perfect it! It's just that I can't see it because I'm such a _baka_ – Argh!" Naruto declared as he turned and began to beat his head against the tree trunk out of frustration. "If only I wasn't so dumb! I could do it! I could surpass the 4th and save Sasuke! Argh!" Naruto slammed his head so hard against the tree that Shikamaru could see the blood on his forehead now-

Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock and he quickly stood up and just as Naruto tried to slam his head against the tree again Shikamaru put out his hand to block it – so that Naruto's forehead instead connected with the palm of Shikamaru's hand and Shikamaru's hand was painfully slammed into the tree trunk – taking the majority of the impact.

Naruto blinked in surprise at Shikamaru's move of cushioning his head with his hand, he also noticed Shikamaru's flinch of pain as Shikamaru took his hand back away from the tree. "Why…?"

"I don't want to watch any of my friends get hurt." Shikamaru said in a low, serious voice. "I can't stand back and do nothing as a friend is getting hurt…I can't fail to protect those I care about again…" Shikamaru trailed off sadly, clenching his fists at his sides.

"Shikamaru…" Naruto felt bad seeing Shikamaru's haunted expression and put a hand behind his head in a bashful gesture. "I'm sorry, I really am such a _baka_ I made you remember-"

"No." Shikamaru's harsh voice cut him short. "You're not a _baka_ I…" Shikamaru sighed heavily and ran a hand over his hair, smoothing it down. "You were smart enough to realize that Rasen-Shuriken can't be used unless you manage to find a way to somehow perfect it. Alright I'll help you Naruto. You're right – there must be a way."

Naruto's expression brightened considerably, and his blue eyes sparkled. "_Honto?_ Really? _Yatta!_" Naruto punched the air enthusiastically.

Shikamaru looked deep in thought, "Now tell me all about Rasen-Shuriken. How you developed it and all about the damage you take because of it. There must be some kind of clue therein that can help us."

Naruto sat back down and nodded vigorously. "Alright." Naruto told Shikamaru everything.

Shikamaru nodded, "I seems that you take the most damage right as you slam the attack into your opponent at such close range…" Shikamaru sat down cross-legged and put his hands out before him, bringing the tips of his index fingers together and then the tips of his thumbs together to form a circle. This was Shikamaru's signature 'thinking pose'. He would come up with a solution for Naruto somehow.

'_Close range…impact…backlash…maybe…maybe if the attack could somehow be turned into a long ranged attack…but how…?'_

Naruto sat down on his knees and watched Shikamaru 'think' licking his lips in anticipation, with an intense expression on his face. He knew that when Shikamaru got like this an answer was not too far behind.

Shikamaru was close to the answer, however-

"Look out!" Naruto was suddenly shoving Shikamaru out of the way of some kind of attack.

Shikamaru turned to see a dagger embed itself where he had been seated almost seconds before and attached to the dagger was what appeared to be some kind of silvery thread.

'Someone' pulled back on the silvery thread and the dagger went flying back from whence it came-

Naruto and Shikamaru turned to see a cloaked and hooded Akatsuki member…the telltale red clouds were on the cloak that whipped violently in the wind. The Akatsuki member caught the dagger and licked the blade.

Naruto's eyes widened, "Akatsuki!"

"Shit." Shikamaru swore.

A smile came upon red painted lips as she observed the pair. They were just kids…this would be all too easy. She removed her hood and Naruto and Shikamaru saw that the female Akatsuki member happened to be a beautiful woman with wavy blonde hair and coal black eyes.

"Shikamaru, I presume. I have come to take your life." Yami pointed her dagger at Shikamaru, ignoring Naruto entirely.

Naruto shot Shikamaru a worried look.

"A woman Akatsuki member huh? This is going to be troublesome." Shikamaru calmly stood up, "May I ask why?" He met her gaze unflinchingly.

Yami's expression darkened. "This is for what you did to my love, Hidan! Ha!" Yami took out two daggers, which she flung at Shikamaru and Naruto simultaneously, while having her webbing attached to the daggers so that she was able to control their movements through the air.

Naruto and Shikamaru dodged out of the way. "Naruto stay back – you're still injured." Shikamaru declared shoving Naruto back.

"But-" Naruto began to protest.

"Let me handle her!" Shikamaru declared as he made a hand seal, "_Kagemane no Jutsu!_" Shikamaru's shadow surged forward and towards Yami.

Yami saw this coming and shot her webbing up into the branches of the nearby tree so that she was lifted up off the ground-

She then used her webbing to propel herself like a slingshot – through he air and at Shikamaru so that she was able to deliver a flying sidekick to his stomach in midair.

Shikamaru coughed and the wind had been knocked out of him.

"Shikamaru!" Naruto called out in concern.

"I have you now!" Yami declared as she moved forward with a dagger, ready to slit Shikamaru's throat.

But as soon as Yami's feet touched the ground Shikamaru gathered his strength and concentrated, quickly doing another hand seal. "Kagemane Strangle no Jutsu!" And suddenly Shikamaru's shadow was twisting its way up Yami's body and towards her neck-

"_Kisama!_" Yami hissed as she could feel Shikamaru's shadow constricting around her throat. She summoned more and more of her webbing and suddenly she was being pulled backwards by her webbing, up into the air and back into the nearby tree.

Shikamaru's shadow wrapped around the Akatsuki cloak that he had managed to rip off of Yami and ripped the cloak to pieces.

"Keh, she got away, how troublesome." Shikamaru frowned as he looked over at the Akatsuki woman. She was wearing a tight, formfitting, black shirt with long, belled sleeves, the material of the shirt was sheer, slightly transparent, and resembled a spider's web. She was also wearing a pair of black pants that had silver buckles and straps wrapped around them all the way up their length. She had paired this ensemble off with a pair of black combat boots.

Shikamaru pulled his shadow back and prepared to send it in Yami's direction again-

However-

_Thump, thump_

Shikamaru gasped and suddenly sunk to one knee in pain. He looked at his hand and saw a large red mark there.

"Shikamaru!" Naruto rushed to his side in concern, "What's wrong?"

Yami began to cackle devilishly, "He's been bitten by one of my babies…" Yami declared as she raised a hand and Naruto saw spiders crawling all over her skin. Spiders…?

"_Kisama! _You bitch!" Naruto stood up and glared at the woman.

"My babies are poisonous. He won't last very long. And only I have the antidote." Yami trailed off thoughtfully.

Naruto's eyes narrowed at her fiercely, "Give it to me. Or else."

Yami just burst out laughing. "Or else what? You're injured. Look at you, your arm is still in a cast! What could you possibly do against me?"

A cocky grin formed on his face. Apparently, this Akatsuki chick hadn't heard about how he was Konoha's Number One Most Unpredictable _Ninja! _"How about this!" Naruto raised his casted arm high into the air-

TBC….

Yea, I know I'm so evil! I gave you guys a cliffhanger. Don't worry I'll try my best to post the next chapter next Saturday alright? Please let me know what you all thought of this chapter though, and if you have any tips or suggestions you want me to use in future chapters, such as pairings you want to see occur within this fic etc. Also does anyone know the correct _romanji _spelling for 'unforgivable' I think I'm way off on that one. And when Shikamaru uses the Shadow Strangle Technique what's that called in Japanese? Thanks!

~*~*~Sophia Hughlette~*~*~

Author of the anime-style novel Shinigami Boy

Rose Tiger: I put thoughts in single quotes. I hope that made it easier for you to read.

A big thanks goes to: Dragon man 180, Iwanabeahero, Cool, P5yCH0, czgohan, and Rose Tiger. I'm glad you like my fic so far!!!


	3. Chapter 3

Jinchuriki Hinata! Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto Shippuden

Chapter 3- Love is never as simple as it is in books

Meanwhile, Hinata woke up to find herself in a nice warm bed, in clean clothes…Hinata stretched comfortably, she had slept like a log-

Then Hinata realized something with a start. This wasn't her room back at the Hyuga Estate! '_Oh my god…where the hell is this?! Where am I? Have I been…kidnapped?!_' Hinata looked around to see that she was in a neatly kept log cabin that had several paintings hung on the walls, although canvases, paper and drawing supplies were scattered across the floor here and there…

"Ah, you're awake." Came a monotone voice.

Hinata turned to see Sai entering the room.

"S-sai-_kun_?" Hinata questioned, "What…?"

Sai blinked. "You don't remember? I found you passed out in the middle of the forest and it was raining out so I realized that because it was raining you could catch hypothermia – the only logical thing to do seemed to take you back to my place."

Hinata blinked. Training? And then the events of last night were slowly coming back to her. Sai had 'saved her' and brought her to his apartment and…

Hinata suddenly looked down at the clothes she was wearing – they were strange – black and white things, a plain tank top and a pair of silk short-shorts but to Hinata who slept in a long-sleeved, floor length nightgown the outfit Sai had given her was positively scandalous! Hinata turned bright red and brought the bed sheet all the way up to her neck. "Sai…?"

Sai quirked his head at her odd behavior. "It's not like I haven't already seen your naked body for you to be acting so shyly, Hinata-_san_. You're just being silly."

Seen her…! Hinata's eyes widened as she just realized something…Sai must have changed her out of her wet clothing which meant Sai had seen her naked?! Hinata turned bright red and promptly fainted.

"Hinata-_san_!" Sai rushed to her side and wondered worriedly what could have caused the strange girl to pass out…

Sai quickly rushed over to one of his cabinets and got out the smelling salts to then rush back to Hinata's bedside –he put the bottle under her nose and slowly Hinata's eyelids fluttered open.

"Hinata-_san_, are you alright?" Sai questioned her.

Hinata squeaked at the sight of him so close to her. His nose was literally an inch away from her face!

Sai leaned away from her and sat down at a chair that was by her bedside, turning the chair around and sitting on it so that his legs were straddling around it casually. He looked at her curiously. "You faint too easily, Hinata-_san_. You were about to faint again just now I think. How strange. Perhaps you have an iron deficiency." Sai nodded to himself, "Yes, that must be it. Allow me to go and cook you something that is high in iron." Sai got up and moved to go to the kitchen.

But Hinata couldn't just let the boy go just yet – after all he HAD saved her or helped her so the least she could do was thank him, Hyuga Hinata was not without manners. So Hinata quickly reached out and grabbed a hold of Sai's sleeve, "_Ano!_ Um!" Sai stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to look at her, raising an eyebrow in question. "_A-arigato._ Thank you." Hinata managed to say, only a slight blush coming to her cheeks. "But…why did you help me? You could have just dropped me off at the Hyuga Estate and we don't even know each other very well."

Sai nodded in agreement since her reasoning was indeed flawless. However- "Because I wished to speak with you. You're Naruto's friend are you not?"

"Well, yes, I-" Hinata began to say.

"Then that means you're my friend too. I read this in a book called: 'How To Spot a True Friend' it said the friends of my friends should be treated as my friends too."

"Ah…" Hinata didn't know what to say to that.

"And you…love Naruto-_kun_ don't you?" Sai asked her directly.

Hinata's mouth dropped open – how the hell had this boy found that out?!

Sai nodded to himself at her reaction and raised a hand to stop her from trying to speak- "Don't, you needn't say anything. I already know. But the real problem here is that Naruto doesn't know or more specifically Naruto doesn't see you as a woman."

Hinata blinked at this statement. Was that true?

"Which is why we need to change that." Sai declared.

"We?" Hinata couldn't help but ask. She had a bad feeling about where this was going.

Sai nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, Friend #2 I wish to help you get Naruto to see you as a woman so that he can then fall in love with you and be happy. I've read up a lot on love and romance. It will be simple."

"Simple…?!" Hinata murmured. "Sai, it's not…love is never simple. It's not at all like it seems in books. Reality is a whole lot more complicated than fantasy. And Naruto-_kun_…he…I…will never…"

Sai put a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, you need to have more confidence in yourself Hinata-_san_. I've seen you naked and so I can tell you firsthand that you have a very attractive and womanly body. If Naruto were to realize this he would most certainly take an interest in you."

All Hinata heard however was-

'Seen you naked…attractive body…'

Hinata frowned and raised her hand.

SLAP

Hinata slapped Sai hard across the face, "You…you pervert!"

Sai merely frowned back at her confusedly, "Pervert? I read all about what a pervert is Hinata-_san _and I am sorry but I don't see nor understand how I am a pervert in this situation. A pervert is someone who tries to touch a woman inappropriately or has inappropriate thoughts about a woman. And I was merely touching your shoulder and I can assure you that I have had no inappropriate thoughts about you."

Hinata blinked – oh well – when he put it like that it suddenly became hard for Hinata to stay mad at the guy. _Hmm~_ "I…I'm sorry, Sai-_kun_. I suppose I overreacted."

Sai nodded in agreement. "Yes, you did overreact quite spectacularly, Friend #2, but don't worry I am used to Sakura-_san_ overacting for no reason as well so I won't hold it against you."

Hinata's eye twitched.

A sudden thought came to Hinata, "_Ano_, Sai why do you have these clothes?" _Yes, why would Sai have a girl's pj's in his house…it's quite inappropriate. _

Sai blinked. "Because I made them."

"You made them?" Hinata blinked – that hadn't quite been the exact question. But whatever. Hinata looked down at the black and white set curiously.

"I drew them to be more exact. Those clothes are made out of my ink." Sai began to explain.

"Ink?" Hinata looked startled, how…? She performed a hand seal, "Byakugan!" And then Hinata looked down at the clothes again; sure enough she was now able to see the chakra that had been mixed in with the ink to make the 'material' that her clothes were made of. "That's…fascinating."

Sai blushed at her praise. "Do you like them?" Sai's whole attention seemed to be focused on her suddenly.

"Well, I…" Hinata looked down at the skimpy pj's and up at Sai's hopeful expression. Sigh. They were definitely NOT something she would normally wear but…she couldn't bring herself to hurt Sai's feelings. "They're…nice." Hinata admitted in her soft, hesitant voice.

Sai beamed, "Thank you. You know, you should wear clothes that are a bit more formfitting and revealing like the pj's – that way Naruto would be sure to notice your-"

"Sai." Hinata cut him off, her voice deadly low, her eyebrow beginning to twitch.

"_Hai?_ Yes?"

"Do you want me to slap you again?"

"No…is this a trick question?"

"Then I suggest you don't continue with what you were about to say. You just…don't say those types of things to a girl Sai."

"You don't? Why not? I read that girls like compliments…" Sai furrowed his brow in confusion.

Hinata sighed, "Well, yes, that may be true but not such direct ones okay?"

"I don't really get it but okay." Sai nodded and then his eyes lit up. "That's it!"

Hinata gave Sai a suspicious look, "What's it?"

"Your clothes…your usual clothes make Naruto forget that you're a woman. You need an outfit that will make Naruto _notice _you!"

Hinata had a really bad feeling about this. "Um, Sai, I don't think this is such a good-"

But Sai was already ignoring her and ran over to get one of his drawing books. He hesitated before handing the book over to her, a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks. Sai turned away and scratched the side of his cheek nervously. "I…I've never shown that to anyone before." He confided.

Hinata gingerly took the book, realizing how special this book must be to Sai if he was suddenly looking so nervous about it…Hinata opened the book and looked down curiously upon its pages. Her eyes widened and she turned to the next page, and then the next-

Contained within the drawing book were sketches of clothing designs for both men and woman. But…the clothing designs for the women – dresses, gowns, swimsuits, hats, _ninja_ outfits – were incredible. "Sai…these are amazing." Hinata couldn't help but gasp.

Sai blinked. "Really?" He came to sit next to her on the bed as Hinata continued to flip through the book, "Which do you like?"

"Well…" Hinata continued to flip through the drawings and sketches until her eyes landed on one dress in particular. She couldn't help herself but smile and run her hand over the image. It was something she could only dream of being brave enough to wear. It was such a beautiful dress. She knew she could never pull something like that off though… "_Ano_…this one is…rather nice."

"Then it's settled!" Sai hopped off the bed and pushed back his sleeves.

Hinata looked startled, "What's settled?"

"That's the dress I'll make for you…and then you'll wear it and find Naruto…and then…"

Hinata leaned forward and gulped. "And then?"

Sai shrugged, "Ask him to go eat some _ramen_ or something."

Hinata face-faulted, she felt a trickle of sweat form on her bow. And here she thought for a moment that Sai was about to say something rather profound.

Sigh.

"Well, since it's not like anyone is holding a ball or anything." Sai continued, speaking more to himself than to Hinata.

"A ball?" Hinata questioned curiously.

Sai ignored her however and went about setting up a large easel and then he put a large blank canvas on it. He then pulled out a brush and with a flourish of his brush began to paint the dress for Hinata. Once the dress was completed along with matching shoes, gloves and a choker – Sai performed his _jutsu_ and made a hand seal. "Ink Justsu!" And the dress glowed with Sai's chakra before it floated off the page and into Sai's waiting arms.

Hinata had to admit to herself: _That was so cool. _

***

Meanwhile, back at the grassy hillside-

Naruto raised his casted arm high into the air and then brought it down hard upon the ground so that his cast shattered.

Yami's eyes widened in shock.

Naruto just have her a cocky smirk. "I'm a fast healer." He explained before making a hand seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto said as a shadow clone materialized next to him. Naruto held out his hand and then the Shadow Clone immediately began to form Rasengan there. Once Rasengan was fully formed Naruto rushed at Yami-

"Rasengan!" Naruto yelled but instead of aiming for Yami Naruto chose to instead aim for the tree. The tree was blasted apart and Yami was forced to jump off of its branches.

Naruto had noticed that Yami had been using the tree to help her fight and now that the tree was no longer there Yami would be forced to face Naruto on solid ground, _mano a mano_. Naruto grinned.

Yami back flipped and landed neatly on the ground, "Impressive, you must be Naruto…the _Jinchuriki_ of _Kyuubi_…you're a lot smarter than they said you were."

Naruto blinked. Had an Akatsuki member just complimented him? Naruto shook his head. He wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to react to that. "Uh, thanks, I think…"

"_Ano_…Naruto-_kun_?" came a hesitant voice.

Naruto turned, eyes wide to see none other than Hyuga Hinata! What the hell was she doing there?! And scratch that – what was she wearing?!

Hinata was wearing some kind of sleeveless, black and white dress that fit Hinata's surprisingly curvy body snuggly and then belled out at her knees reaching the ground. She had on a pair of matching gloves that went to her elbows and a black choker around her neck. The material was unlike anything Naruto had ever seen before – it almost reminded him of Sai's ink _jutsu_ creatures. No wait – it was exactly like Sai's ink _jutsu_…

Naruto did a double take – she looked good, real good – but now was NOT the time! "Hinata?!"

Hinata looked over and caught sight of the mysterious blonde woman and she looked over to see Shikamaru, who was bent over and on the ground with a pained expression on his face. "Shikamaru-_kun._" She then saw the obliterated tree – the signs of battle were all around them. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place – Naruto and Shikamaru were battling that woman!

Yami eyed Hinata curiously, "_Hmm~_ I see how it is – she's your little girlfriend isn't she? Why aren't you lucky?"

Hinata blushed and Naruto remained silent.

"You know, that kind of pisses me off." Yami declared, a note of bitterness in her voice. "Why should you be happy together when I-" Her voice cracked, "When Hidan he-! Ahhh!" Yami suddenly moved into attack, two daggers suddenly appeared in her hands and she quickly flung these directly at Hinata.

"Hinata look out!" Naruto yelled as he moved into action, running over and swooping Hinata up into his arms bridal-style and dodged Yami's attack. The daggers hit the ground and left a small crater from the force of the impact. Those daggers had been surrounded and empowered by Yami's chakra.

"Hinata? What are you doing here? She's Akatsuki!" Naruto informed her.

"Akatsuki?" Hinata breathed as Naruto was once again forced to doge another attack of Yami's – Naruto moved and dodged her attacks as best he could while holding Hinata in his arms but it was getting more and more difficult to avoid the deadly attacks. Yami was good. Naruto used a sudden burst of speed to run away and distance himself from Yami instead. He then set Hinata down gently on her feet. "Hinata, stay back. You just let me handle this, okay?"

"B-but Naruto-_kun_, I want to help-" Hinata began as she started forward but she could barely move in the 5-inch heels that Sai had put her in and ended up stumbling forward and sinking to her knees. A blush came to Hinata's cheeks – this was just so pathetic! _Oh my god, because of this dress and shoes I'm completely useless!_

Naruto shook his head at her, "You can't. Not in that dress anyways." Naruto gave her an amused look before his expression turned serious. "Don't worry Hinata. I can take her." Naruto gave her a thumbs up." A fierce expression forming in his blue eyes.

"B-but-" Hinata began again but Naruto was already taking off away from her as he ran back in Yami's direction. And as he did so he formed a hand seal, "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!_" Suddenly five Shadow Clones of Naruto appeared around him and they were all wielding _kunai_ – they then all rushed Yami simultaneously. "_Hooryah!_"

Yami's expression turned thoughtful before seeming to come out of her sleeves were four daggers, which she held in each of her hands. This gave her eight daggers in all. Yami then moved and spun and released the daggers upon the Shadow Clones, which tried to dodge and avoid the attacks but-

Yami used her spider's web to control the direction of the daggers and managed to impale all five of them – she smiled to herself – but then where was the real Naruto? Yami suddenly realized with a start.

"Up here!" Came a voice and Yami turned to see Naruto up in the air and with a Rasengan in his hand. "Eat this! Rasengan!" Naruto declared as he was almost upon her.

"_Shimatta!_" Yami swore, realizing it was too late for her to move or do anything. He had gotten her.

However, just as Naruto was about to slam Rasengan into Yami, a pained look suddenly crossed his face and he lost control over Rasengan and fell to the ground, skidding across it and staying collapsed at Yami's feet.

"Naruto-_kun_!" Hinata cried out in shock.

Yami laughed triumphantly, "You've been bitten by one of my babies!" Yami held out her hand and a small spider lifted off into the air from Naruto's body and landed on Yami's fingertip. "Good work, my baby. Mama's proud."

Hinata gasped, a spider?! That meant Naruto-_kun_ and Shikamaru-_san_ had both been poisoned. She had to do something!!

Yami summoned a dagger and approached Naruto's fallen form, "I expected more from the _Jinchuriki no Kyuubi._" She declared about to bring her dagger down up Naruto.

However-

Naruto turned and looked up at her and his eyes were now red with slanted pupils-

"_Kyuubi_…?" Yami mused aloud and peered into Naruto's eyes despite herself. A fierce red aura was surrounding Naruto and then Yami's eyes widened in fright-

"No…! Stay away!" Yami began to panic and one of her daggers fell from her limp grasp, Naruto's red chakra leapt outwards and burned through the silken thread of her spider's web. Yami's eyes widened in fear. "It's really him…_Kyuubi!_" She breathed.

Red chakra began to rise up out of Naruto's body and taking the form of a fox leapt at Yami-

It managed to latch onto her arm as its jaws clamped down upon her and Yami shrieked in pain and fight.

"No! Let go!" Yami summoned her chakra and let it flare brilliantly around her to temporarily cause the Kyuubi to let her go. As soon as she did Yami leapt away. "It's…Kyuubi…no I just can't! Kyuubi…he!" Yami shook her head and then turned to flee.

Hinata watched Yami go curiously wondering why the Akatsuki lady had been so afraid of Kyuubi. Hinata shook her head, now was not the time for such speculations – she had to help Naruto and Shikamaru as soon as possible.

Hinata took off her high heeled shoes and hiked up her dress and ran towards the fallen forms of Naruto and Shikamaru, Hinata knelt by his side and performed a hand seal, "Byakugan Mystic Eye!" There…now she could see everything. She could see the poison spreading through Naruto's veins and heading for his heart but luckily it hadn't reached his heart yet.

Hinata had read about a certain medical _ninjutsu_ that was able to purge poison from a person's body using chakra – but the technique was extremely dangerous and difficult to perform – especially for those who could NOT see the person's circulatory system like Hinata could. But Hinata could see and so she placed her hand directly on Naruto's chest and concentrated on sending her chakra into Naruto's circulatory system to purge the poison…

Hinata took out a small _kunai_ and pricked the tip of Naruto's finger with it. She then began to guide the poison out of Naruto's body and out of the small prick wound on his finger-

The green poison gushed out of the wound and dripped to the ground. Hinata wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand – it had worked! Now she had to save Shikamaru before her Mystic Eyes wore off. She had about 9 seconds left.

She quickly pricked the tip of Shikamaru's finger with her _kunai_ and then she placed both hands on Shikamaru's chest and prepared to purge the poison from his system as she had done with Naruto. The poison slowly began to drip out of Shikamaru's finger and to the ground and finally she had managed to remove all of the poison from Shikamaru's body. Whew.

Hinata let out a sigh of relief. She did it! She had saved them…!! Hinata began to feel dizzy and put a hand to her forehead. She had used too much chakra…but she had to try and stay awake until help came…

"Hinata-_san!_" It was Sai's voice.

Hinata looked up to see Sai running towards them. "Sai-_kun?_" She questioned before she passed out.

Sai blinked. "I really seem to have that effect on her, don't I?"

TBC…

By *~*~Sophia Hughlette~*~*

Author of the anime-style novel Shinigami Boy

Add me on Facebook!

AN: So what did you all think? Hey, does anyone know the name of Sai's technique? I can't really remember it. And is shimatta spelled correctly? Please forgive errors etc. this is my first Naruto fanfic and I am editing this myself.

Review responses:

ShadowFaux – Ah I didn't realize Byakugan translated to All-Seeing Eye lol! Well can't blame them for calling that the technique - it makes sense! So my technique will be henceforth called "Mystic Eyes".

Dragon Man 180 – is that a request? Because I can make Yami a bit of a sexual sadist in later scenes with her and Hidan or other characters, or you know kind of imply it…lol!

Thanks for reading: Hina the half heart, Iwannabeahero, Rose Tiger!


	4. Chapter 4

Jinchuriki Hinata Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto Shippuden.

AN: Hey peeps! Thank you all for reading. It will probably be just a few more chapters before Hinata becomes a Jinchuriki since I'm trying to set up the plot kk! However, since I feel bad about making you all wait, I've decided to throw in a bit more 'spice' into this story. So read and see what I mean hehe. ^.~

Chapter 4: Sweet Temptation

Naruto awoke to find himself in a hospital bed. Keh? What was new? He turned and was surprised to see that Hinata was seated in a chair right next to his bed and that she had fallen asleep. In fact, she was resting her head on his bed. A soft smile crept upon Naruto's lips. Hinata…she seemed to care about him lot. And she was still wearing _that _dress. '_Dang girl_, _she looks fine_.' Naruto had to admit to himself with a smirk. He had this inexplicable urge to reached out and stroke Hinata's silky long hair…

Naruto shook his head. What was wrong with him? He cleared his throat loudly hoping it would wake Hinata up.

Hinata stirred awake. "N-naruto-_kun_, you're awake." She stated.

Naruto gave her a foxy grin, "We've really got to stop meeting like this, Hinata-_chan_."

Hinata blushed. "Yea…"

Naruto took in her dress again as he sat back. "Dang Hinata, since when did you turn into such a _girl_. You were a regular damsel in distress back there! It's like I never noticed that you're a girl until now!" Naruto declared thoughtlessly putting his hands behind his head in a careless gesture.

Hinata could feel a trickle of sweat form on her brow at Naruto's words. Damsel in distress…never saw her as a _girl_. Sai…had been right?! "Uh…right."

Naruto looked around suddenly thinking of something, "Ah! Where's Shikamaru – is he alright?!"

Hinata nodded and began to explain in her soft voice. "Yes, he's in the room right next to this one. Both you and Shikamaru were poisoned by Yami but I was able to purge the poison from your bodies using a medical _ninjutsu_."

Naruto's eyes widened. "You…saved us, Hinata-_chan_?"

Hinata looked away, suddenly embarrassed as Naruto's full attention was on her and those blue eyes of his were boring into her. It was just too much. Naruto was such an _intense_ person. "Well, yes, I-"

Naruto moved forward and unexpectedly wrapped his arms around Hinata, hugging her close. "Hinata, thank you." Naruto breathed in her ear.

Hinata was in shock. Naruto was suddenly embracing her! Her cheeks were flushed and she felt like she'd probably pass out…

But then Naruto wouldn't let go. "Naruto…_kun_?"

***

As Naruto held Hinata in his arms he was surprised by the feel of Hinata's womanly body – he could feel her shapely breasts pressing up against his chest and his heart was suddenly beating a little faster in his chest.

Hinata was a beautiful girl – he'd just never really noticed that before for some reason. He didn't want to let her out of his arms, in fact…

He wanted _more_.

Naruto's pupils turned slanted and before even he realized what he was doing he had moved Hinata onto the hospital bed in one smooth swift motion and was on top of her, straddling her – but with his body not touching hers yet, just hovering over her.

Hinata's eyes widened in shock at Naruto's sudden bold move, "Naruto?"

"_Hinata_…" Naruto breathed as he leaned over her and pressed his lips against her urgently.

Hinata's eyes widened like saucers. Naruto was actually…kissing her?!

Naruto then moved back and then Hinata noticed that there was this predatory gleam in Naruto's eyes as he looked down at her. "Hinata…let me taste you…" Naruto declared as he leaned down and pressed a wet kiss to her bare collarbone.

Hinata shivered.

Naruto then opened his mouth and let his tongue out to lick and caress Hinata's collarbone in a tantalizing manner. Hinata was just so delicious.

Hinata's breathing was becoming irregular as Naruto's hands began to roam over her body, "N-naruto…_kun_!"

Naruto opened his mouth and his incisors lengthened – he was about to bite down on Hinata's neck when-

***End of Naruto's Day Dream***

"_Ano_…Naruto-_kun_?" Hinata questioned from Naruto's embrace wondering why he still hadn't let her go.

"GAH!" Naruto freaked out and instantly let go of Hinata. What the HELL had _that_ been? A daydream…! A vision?!

A dark chuckle sounded in his mind.

Kyuubi.

'_That vision was brought about by your subconscious desires, Naruto. Even if you yourself were never aware of Hinata before your subconscious was and…I was as well…_' Kyuubi informed Naruto in his mind smugly.

'_Wait…what?_' Naruto asked confusedly.

'_You have an __**interest**__…an attraction to the girl. And I must say – I approve. Hyuuga Hinata is a very powerful and beautiful woman. She would make a suitable __**mate**__._'

Naruto's face turned red. '_M-mate? What are you talking about you damned fox! I don't…like Hinata-chan. Not like that at least. The girl I like is Sakura!_'

Kyuubi shook his head and let out a huff. '_Haruno Sakura. I do not approve of this two-faced woman, Naruto. She shows you but one side of her and yet hides another. She's just using you. She doesn't care about you at all. It would be fine if she was only making a fool of you but she's also making a fool of me if she thinks that I haven't seen right through her. She is not one to be trusted…_'

Naruto vigorously shook his head. '_You're wrong! Sakura is…one of my closest friends. She acknowledges me and together we're working hard so that we can bring Sasuke back to Konoha._'

'_Yes, it will all work out quite nicely for Sakura won't it – with you helping her to bring Sasuke back, the man she loves. And then she'll leave you all alone…_'

Naruto's heart clenched because a part of him knew that this was true. But he denied it anyways. _'You're wrong, she won't…' _

'_But as for Hyuuga Hinata…how about I let you in on a little secret, pup. She __**likes**__ you._'

Naruto's eyes widened. '_She what?! You're imagining things you damned fox!_'

'_No…I can sense it with my animal instinct. She's always-'_

"Naruto-_kun_?" Hinata reached out to put a hand to Naruto's forehead. She had noticed that his face had suddenly turned red and was worried he was coming down with a fever.

"H-h-hinata!!!" Naruto burst out. He forgot that she was still there and he'd been having some weird internal convo with Kyuubi. Gah! He really must look like a crazy idiot.

Hinata quirked her head at him. Naruto was acting quite strangely – even for him. "Are you alright, Naruto-_kun_?"

Naruto chuckled and put a hand behind his head, "Ahahahaha! Everything's great! Peachy!" '_Except for my whole world being turned upside down…._' Naruto inwardly sighed.

'_If you don't believe me, why not confront Hinata about her feelings for yourself. Why not invite her out to lunch…' _Kyuubi suggested slyly.

'_Lunch? With me? She'll never say yes…I'm sure she had better things to do than to hang out with __**me**_**.**'

'_Just do it, pup. If you don't shoot you don't score._' Kyuubi chuckled to himself at his own dirty little inside joke, which went right over Naruto's naïve head.

Naruto blinked, wondering what Kyuubi was finding so funny and shook his head. '_Damned fox…_'

Naruto took a deep breath and began in his usual over-confident and loud manner- "Well, there's not way around it! I have to take you out somewhere – Jiraiya-_sensei_ told me that when a girl gets all dressed up and shows up at your front door that she wants a free dinner! Wait…" Naruto paused and scratched his head. "That can't be right." Naruto shrugged. "Well, it was something like that! Anyways, I wasn't really paying attention but-" Naruto leapt off the bed and held his hand out to Hinata. "Let's go!" He grinned at her.

The butterflies in Hinata's stomach were having a field day. _Chance!_ Hinata gathered her courage to put her hand in Naruto's. "A-alright."

Kyuubi laughed. '_**That's**__ how you ask a girl out, Naruto? Wasn't there supposed to be a __**question**__ in there somewhere. You really are one clueless pup aren't you?_'

'_Oh shut up, damned fox. I don't know what the hell I'm doing alright. So just lay off. I'm doing the best I can here. Gah._'

Naruto then swooped Hinata up into his arms and then leapt up and out of the hospital window-

"Naruto-_kun_! Why not just use the front door!" Hinata questioned as they fell through the air.

"This way is cooler, Hinata-_chan_! Going out the front door isn't good enough for a cool guy like me, who's going to become _Hokage_ one day!" Naruto smirked at her knowingly.

Hinata sweat-dropped, "Uh, right…" '_Whatever you say…I've certainly fallen in love with an interesting individual but I wouldn't have it any other way._' She smiled a secret smile to herself.

***

Naruto, carrying Hinata in his arms bridal style, made his way to Ichiraku Ramen.

"_Ano_…where are we going, Naruto-_kun_?" Hinata shyly asked beginning to get nervous.

"Ichiraku Ramen!"

Hinata blinked. "Oh…Naruto-_kun_?"

"_Hai_?"

"I can walk on my own. This is kind of…embarrassing." Hinata began to tap the tips of her fingers together.

Naruto stopped in the middle of the street, "Oh! Sorry Hinata-_chan_ I forgot!" He quickly set her down.

'_You just liked the feeling of the girl in your arms, didn't you, pup? Admit it._' Kyuubi teased in Naruto's mind.

'_Shut up, fox._' Naruto shot back.

A group of young girls who were passing by on the street nearby giggled at the scene that Hinata and Naruto were making.

Needless to say, Naruto and Hinata made the rest of their way to Ichiraku Ramen on foot.

"Sorry, I can't take you to a fancier place, Hinata. Ichiraku Ramen is about all I can afford right now – and you're all dress up too…" Naruto pouted as he looked down at his nearly empty frog wallet. He was truly pathetic…

Hinata waved her hands frantically in the air before her, "Oh no! It's no problem at all, Naruto-_kun_! I'm just happy that I get to have lunch with you." '_Yosh! I can't believe I actually managed to say that!_ _I'm getting good!_'

Naruto raised an eyebrow at her in surprise, "Really?" He then broke out in a large grin. "Alright then! Let's go!" He enthusiastically grabbed her hand, and hand in hand they made the rest of their way to Ichiraku Ramen.

Hinata looked down at her hand in Naruto's. Her cheeks pinks. And slowly she wrapped her fingers around his in return. '_Oohhh I wish this moment could last forever._'

But as they entered the small restaurant Naruto was forced to let go of Hinata's hand so that he would be able to take a seat at the counter.

Hinata sighed in disappointment. Well, all dreams can't last forever. She took a seat next to Naruto in one of the tall stools.

The restaurant owner immediately greeted Naruto. "Ah Naruto! Good to see you…and it looks like this time you've brought someone…new?" He eyed Hinata curiously.

Naruto was still smiling. "Yes, this is Hyuuga Hinata. She's a good friend of mine."

Ramen girl (a.k.a the restaurant owner's daughter) came out from the back of the restaurant and caught sight of Naruto and Hinata. "Oh hey there Naruto-_kun_." She looked over at Hinata and then looked her over from head to toe, taking in the whole classy outfit that Hinata was wearing. She dramatically pointed her index finger at Hinata. "Ah! Who's this…Naruto's girlfriend!? _Uso!_"

"Uh, she's not-" Naruto began, scratching the side of his cheek.

Ramen girl, however, was too excited to hear what he was trying to say. "And she's so beautiful too. You're really lucky, Naruto-_kun_!"

"Well, yea I guess I-" Naruto tried to say.

"This is the first time Naruto has ever brought a girl here on a date! Well, except for that Haruno Sakura girl but she doesn't count!" Ramen girl nodded vigorously to herself.

Ramen girl had just gotten on Hinata's good side, "_Ano_, why is that?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Because, Sakura is always a total bitch to Naruto when she comes here! And she's WAY too picky about her ramen! Hmph! She's always trying to tell me how to do my job! Like I don't know how to make ramen…just how many years does she think I've been doing this!"

"Ramen girl!" Naruto began to object.

Hinata however couldn't stop the giggle that left her lips.

Naruto turned to look at Hinata in shock. He had never seen her…giggle before. '_Cute~!'_

"This is of course, a cause for celebration! Dad! Let's give them two house specials for free in celebration that Naruto got a girlfriend who isn't Haruno Sakura!"

'_I'll drink to that! Where's the sake around here…?_' Hinata inwardly cheered.

"_Yosha!_" Ramen girl's dad happily agreed. "Our little Naruto has become a man!"

Hinata began to object. She didn't want to take advantage of their kindness with a 'lie'. "_Ano_…I believe you're misunderstanding something. Naruto-_kun_ and I-"

However-

Naruto leaned over and put a finger to Hinata's lips and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Hey, if you don't mind, why don't we just play along with it, Hinata-_chan_? Free food."

Hinata's eyes widened in shock. Naruto wanted her to pretend that she was his girlfriend?! _Chance!_ "Um. Alright, Naruto-_kun_. As long as you don't mind."

Naruto just grinned at her, "I don't. How could I?"

'_Hey, now that was actually pretty smooth there, pup._' Kyuubi complimented.

Naruto and Hinata waited for their orders, which soon were ready. Ramen girl set the two steaming bowls of pork _ramen_ noodles before them and Naruto immediately began to dig in-

"_Idatakimasu!_" Naruto declared as he broke his chopsticks apart and began shoveling noodles into his mouth.

Hinata followed suit. "_Idatakimasu_." She said in a low voice as she broke her chopsticks. Hinata took a small delicious bite. "_Umai_…delicious." She breathed in surprise.

Ramen girl beamed at her, a twinkle in her eye, "You picked the perfect new girlfriend, Naruto-_kun_! I approve!" She gave Naruto a thumbs up.

Naruto blushed, "Oh uh, yea, right thanks. I do have good taste don't I?" Naruto chuckled.

It was Hinata's turn to blush then at Naruto's indirect compliment. Even if he didn't really mean it. She wanted to say something but couldn't think of anything to say.

Naruto was also in a similar predicament. '_Ah…I can't think of anything to say to her! I don't want to bore her…now that I see her as a girl all of a sudden just talking to her has gotten a whole lot more complicated. Dang, what kinds of things did I used to say to her before…?_' Naruto tried to remember.

'_Stupid things._' Kyuubi deadpanned.

'_Oi! You damned fox! Instead of insulting me, how about helping me out here! A little advice might be nice!_'

'_Hmm~ what's in it for me?_'

'_I dunno…what do you want?_'

'_To mark Hyuuga Hinata as our mate…_'

Naruto began to mentally spaz. '_Gah! What?! Perverted fox…you're just as bad as ero-sennin. I'm NOT going to do anything weird to Hinata-chan! She…just isn't that kind of girl!_ _Hinata is…_' Naruto looked over at Hinata and how she was eating her food so delicately and in such small bites. He had never noticed it before but- '_A lady._'

'_Alright, fine, then how about…_' Kyuubi began to tell Naruto his suggestion.

In the meantime, Hinata was also trying to find a way to break the awkward silence that had sprung up between the two of them. '_This is so strange…this has never happened to us before. What's wrong? I wonder if it was something I said?_'

That's when Hinata suddenly heard a small squeaking sound. '_Huh? Nani?_' Hinata looked down and saw a small mouse sitting on the countertop and looking right up at her with an almost expectant look on its tiny face. Hinata almost screamed – but then covered her mouth just in time, when she realized with a start that it wasn't a _real_ mouse but one of Sai's ink creatures.

Hinata looked over at Naruto, who still seemed to be off in LaLa Land again. She felt a trickle of sweat form on her brow in response. He seemed to go there a lot lately. She shook her head and leaned down towards the mouse, "Sai?"

"Yes, Hinata, it is I." The mouse replied in a tiny, squeaky voice. Hinata had to hold back a laugh.

"What are you doing here?" Hinata questioned him in a low, whispering voice.

"Why I'm here to help you, of course. I see you already managed to get yourself a date with Naruto though. Good going. Now we just have to fix this mood with some stimulating conversation. Then you can confess to Naruto."

"C-c-confess?" Hinata squeaked.

The mouse nodded, "_Hai_, uh oh, it looks like Naruto is going to speak-!" The mouse dove into Hinata's cleavage—

Hinata's eyes widened in a mixture of shock, embarrassment and horror. '_Saiii!!!!_' she was so going to kill that strange, pasty man later!

"Hey, Hinata, if you don't mind me asking…why the dress?" Naruto began conversationally.

Hinata blinked, "Oh uh…" Argh! Why did she always get so tongue-tied around Naruto!

The mouse spoke up, "Repeat after me: 'I'm glad you asked, Naruto-kun. It's actually because I wanted you to notice me'."

Hinata had no other option but to repeat Sai's words.

Naruto blinked. "Notice you? Why?"

Again Hinata spoke Sai's suggestions word for word since she was too nervous to do otherwise, "I've wanted you to acknowledge me, Naruto-_kun_. That's why I've been training so hard and even managed to become a _chuunin_."

'_Wow…Sai must know me really well to come up with this stuff._' Hinata thought to herself eyes wide. But in turn, Hinata realized that she barely knew anything about her pale new friend. Perhaps…she decided she should make an effort to get the know the boy who was helping her out a little bit better.

'_Ask her why!_' Kyuubi spoke up in Naruto's mind.

'_I'm way ahead of you, damned fox! Mou!_' Naruto spat back.

"Hinata…but why _me_?"

"Tell him!" The mouse squeaked urgently.

"It's because I…Naruto to you, I lo-"

"Naruto _no baka!_" Came a loud voice and suddenly Naruto had been bonked over the head by none other than Haruno Sakura.

"Ow! _Itteee!_" Naruto moaned and rubbed his head, tears in his eyes and looked up at Sakura. "Sakura-_chan_? What'd you do that for?"

Sakura's green eyes flashed. "_Why?_ You snuck out of the hospital – that's why! Everyone's so worried about you and as the head nurse there it was my responsibility to keep an eye on you! They all think you've gone off after Sasuke or Itachi on your own, as usual." Sakura sighed heavily and in a dramatic manner.

Naruto put a hand behind his head, "_Wari, wari_, my bad, Sakura-_chan_, so what's up?"

"Lady Tsunade wishes to speak to you, come on. We're going." Sakura latched onto his arm and pulled him off his stool.

Naruto looked over at Hinata. "But-"

Sakura reached up and grabbed Naruto's ear in a death grip, "No 'buts' about it. Come on, we're already late!" Sakura began to drag Naruto off.

Naruto gave Hinata an apologetic look, "Sorry Hinata! I'll…catch you later!"

Hinata tried to call out to him, "But Naruto-_kun_ I-" '_Haven't finished what I wanted to tell you._'

Sakura gave Hinata a triumphant look before her expression shifted to an apologetic mask. "Sorry Hinata, but we've gotta go!"

Hinata's fist clenched around her chopsticks and she snapped them in half without really noticing it. She had NOT missed that triumphant look. Haruno Sakura. _Grrrr!_ Hinata inwardly growled in her mind. How she wished she could just kill that two-faced girl! She had totally ruined their moment on purpose! Hinata was sure of it.

Ramen girl was also equally angry, "Argh! That Sakura! I can't believe she just did that and interrupted your date with Naruto! And just when it was getting really good too!" She moaned and clutched at her brown hair.

"Tell me about it." Hinata muttered to herself darkly.

"He's whipped." Sai spoke up from Hinata's cleavage, poking his head out. "We're going to have to do something about Haruno Sakura. Will that be okay?"

"Oh, I'm game." Hinata replied as her glare followed after Sakura. '_Sakura, you are so going down bitch!_'

***

Sakura dragged Naruto off to Tsunade's office.

'_Oooo~ that was close. Too close. I think Hinata was actually about to confess to Naruto! Dammit! How did that shy girl suddenly get the courage to confess! It doesn't make any sense. She could end up ruining everything I've worked so hard for…! I can't let that happen…_' Sakura looked at Naruto out of the corner of her eye.

Naruto belonged to _her_. He was her _tool_, her possession. The perfect tool to use in order to get her love back – Sasuke! She could not afford having her tool stolen away from her by Hyuuga Hinata. Even if it meant…being a little _nicer_ to Naruto.

Sakura frowned. Just the thought was enough to make her sick. '_Be nice…to baka Naruto?'_ She hated naïve, softhearted people like him. She was in love with none other than Uchiha Sasuke. Naruto's polar opposite. They were like night and day.

Sasuke was a man who was cold, cruel, ruthless, powerful. He had one goal: Revenge. And he wouldn't let anything or anyone get in his way, or the way of his goal. He was an Avenger.

Sakura became heart-eyed of she thought of the young man she had fallen in love with. '_Oh Sasuke…why didn't you let me come with you…? I could have helped you with your revenge. Maybe…it's not too late. If only I could manage to tell you how I feel and get you to let me join up with you somehow._' Sakura looked at Naruto. '_But I won't be able to even get close to Sasuke if I don't have Naruto to protect me from Orochimaru. Sigh. But for now I'll just have to do what I have to do. Forgive me, Sasuke…_' Sakura pouted as she looked over at Naruto and thought about what she might have to do in order to tie Naruto closer to her.

Naruto looked at the frown on Sakura's face and the way her fists were clenched. '_Uh oh…is she going to punch me again? What did I do this time?_' "Is there something wrong, Sakura-_chan_?"

"What? No – ohohohoho!" Sakura laughed nervously with a hand upraised in front of her mouth.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at her. She was acting really strange.

They entered Tsunade's office. Tsunade was seated at her desk, fingers steepled before her and Shizune was standing next to her desk.

"Naruto." Tsunade greeted him with a serious expression and a nod.

"Tsunade _Oba-chan_." He greeted her with a warm smile.

"Naruto I want to assign you to a new mission." She began.

Naruto's blue eyes sparkled. "A mission? What is it?"

"You are to become Shikamaru's bodyguard. I have reason to believe that the Akatsuki member you both fought with will return to try and take Shikamaru's life again…"

Naruto nodded, a fierce gleam in his eyes. "_Yosh!_" He punched his fist into the air, "You just leave it to me, Tsunade _Oba-chan!_ I'll defeat Yami the next time I encounter her!"

Tsunade nodded in agreement. "Mmm, you may be the only one who can. Hinata told me all about how she seemed afraid of you…well, I'm counting on you, Naruto. Don't let me down."

"You can count on me!"

***

Deep in the forest…an injured Yami stumbled her way through the woods, still gripping her upper arm in pain. The Kyuubi's fox-fire had really done a number on her arm…

She had to get to Hidan and make sure that he was alright…! Yami reached the clearing that she had left Hidan in – he was there staring at the flames of the fire she had made for him before she left. Just sitting there, staring…

"Hidan!" Yami stumbled over to him and knelt by his side. "Are you alright…?"

But Hidan didn't respond to her – he just continued to watch the flames, his own red eyes reflecting the flames within.

Yami sighed heavily. Hidan still wasn't being very responsive to her…his mind had been broken. Yami wondered sadly if there was really anything she could do to help him…

Yami went about tending to her arm wound, wrapping it in clean bandages before she went off in search of food. She managed to find an abundance of wild mushrooms – large, white, almost fluffy looking things that resembled a monkey's head. And with an armload of at least 50 mushrooms she returned back to camp.

She set the mushrooms down and gathered some sticks to make skewers out of them. She began to cook and roast the mushrooms. When the mushrooms had finished cooking she brought a skewer over to Hidan.

"Here Hidan, you need to eat in order to regain your strength…" She held out the skewer.

But Hidan merely continued to stare blankly ahead.

Yami sighed and removed one of the mushrooms from the skewer before holding it out in front of Hidan's mouth. "Go on…eat…you _must_ eat…" She insisted.

To her surprise Hidan opened his mouth and allowed Yami to feed him the mushroom – however, Hidan then grabbed Yami's wrist just as she was trying to pull her hand away and Hidan took Yami's fingers into his mouth and sucked.

Yami blushed, startled.

Hidan then pulled back and chewed the mushroom. Once he had finished the mushroom he gave Yami a strange almost predatory, hungry look. He still hadn't let go of Yami's wrist yet and he began to move forward. "_Delicious_…" Hidan murmured as he put Yami's fingers into his mouth again and licked and sucked them.

"Hidan-_sama_…!" Yami gasped in shock.

Hidan then began to trail his tongue over Yami's hand and then up her arm…enjoying the taste of her flesh.

"_Hidan_…" Yami moaned in sheer pleasure. Hidan was…he had never…touched her like this before. Like he actually wanted her.

Hidan looked up at Yami and took in her appearance – her golden hair that reached the ground, those dark eyes. Something seemed to stir within the dull depths of his red eyes, some spark seemed to have been lit as he remembered something. "Yami…?"

Yami turned to look at him, "Yes?"

Hidan tried again, "Yami…Yami…"

"You recognize me, Hidan?" Yami's eyes widened in surprise and joy.

Hidan looked at Yami and then at how he was holding her wrist, which was beginning to bruise due to his superhuman strength, and he appeared suddenly shocked by his actions. He quickly let go of Yami's wrist as though he had been burned, and his expression aghast. "Yami….Yami!"

"Yes, it's me, Hidan. What's wrong?" Yami went to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a confused look.

Hidan grasped his head and cried out, trying to keep the Insanity that continually wanted to consume him at bay. "Yami…" Hidan opened his eyes and then really looked at her for the fist time since she had rescued him – his eyes darted to the wrapped wound on her arm. Blood was seeping through the bandages and his eyes widened. "Yami?"

Yami followed his questioning gaze, "Oh this? This is nothing – don't push yourself, Hidan. You should really try and get some rest." Yami helped Hidan to lie back.

Hidan obediently did as she made him do, "Yami…"

Yami smiled, "_Hai, hai_, don't worry Hidan I'm right here…"

…After Yami herself had fallen asleep Hidan awoke and sat up. The fire was still going and he turned to watch the sleeping Yami. His eyes traveled to the bandage on her arm…someone had hurt his little Yami, his little doll…

Yami tossed and turned in a restless sleep, "No…stay away…Kyuubi! Skikamaru…you will die for hurting Hidan…"

Hidan's blood-red eyes narrowed into slits. "Konoha…"

***

TBC…!

**By Sophia Hughlette**

**Author of the anime-style novel Shinigami Boy**

**Add me on facebook!**

AN: There you go! An extra long chapter 4. I hope you all enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think! I'm not sure when I will be able to get an update next since I'm busy editing my next novel right now, but I will try to get one up though as soon as possible. Sorry in advance for the wait. Probably expect the update, not next Saturday but the following one. If you're not a part of fanfiction(dot)net and want to give me your email to let you know when I update just put it up and I'll be happy to email you.


	5. Chapter 5

Jinchuriki Hinata! Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 5: Beware homemade cookies~

Sai tracked down Jiraiya-_sensei_ who was currently in a hot springs bathhouse.

Jiraiya chuckled to himself as he tried to peep through a small hole he had created in the wooden fence that separated the woman's bath from the men's bath (in Konoha there were no mixed baths since they were a conservative village compared to other villages that Jiraiya-_sensei_ often times visited for their mixed baths.) "Ohohohoho~" Jiraiya squinted at the giggling girls who were bathing just beyond the fence.

"Jiraiya-_sensei_." Sai began calmly.

"AH!" Jiraiya spun around in the hot springs pool to find that Sai had literally popped up in the bath along with him. "Sai-_kun_…what are you doing here?"

Sai moved closer to Jiraiya, "It's about one of your books, _sensei_."

Jiraiya went right into 'I'm a famous writer mode'. Jiraiya broke out into a grin and tried to look dashing as he struck a pose. "Oh ho~ you've read my books? What did you think of them, boya?"

Sai furrowed his brow, "They were very…informative. But…I'm still a bit confused about a few things."

"Oh?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at Sai, suddenly curious. "What kinds of things?"

"Well…" Sai moved through the water and got even closer to Jiraiya so that their shoulders accidentally bumped together. "A lot of things…but there was one very interesting thing I read about. The main theme of one book was that when a man loves a woman he'll make love to her right?"

"Well, yes…" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at Sai.

Sai nodded. "And visa versa, when a woman 'loves' a man she should be willing to sleep with the man she loves…right?"

Jiraiya sighed heavily. "Well, yes, Sai, but that really depends on the woman. You see, women are extremely complicated and mysterious creatures, Sai. Just because a woman is in love with a man doesn't necessarily mean that she's going to be willing to sleep with him…right away."

A mysterious glint formed in Sai's eye. "And that's why the main hero ended up using that aphrodisiac right?"

Jiraiya blinked. "What?"

"I read this one love scene you wrote where an aphrodisiac was slipped into a bottle of wine that the main couple was sharing and then that the two of them were able to give into their _subconscious_ desires…and so ended up making love."

Jiraiya stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Yes, I do remember writing something like that but-"

Sai leaned closer to Jiraiya and looked up into his eyes. "_Please_, tell me all about aphrodisiacs, _sensei_." Sai gave Jiraiya a beseeching look and placed a hand on Jiraiya's shoulder. "You're the only one who can help me."

Jiraiya blinked back at Sai in shock, his face beginning to turn red, as Sai seemed to be leaning forward. Jiraiya's eyes widened in disbelief as he immediately began to freak out and pushed Sai roughly back. "AH! Sai!" Jiraiya grasped Sai's shoulders hard to make sure the ex-Root _ninja_ wouldn't make any other sudden moves. "Now look here Sai. I don't swing that way…so I'm really sorry but I can't return your feelings. I like woman, _women~_" Jiraiya removed his hands to cup the air in front of him as if he were cupping two breasts.

It was Sai's turns to blink back at Jiraiya in shock. "What? No _sensei _I'm not coming on to you. I just need to find out where I can buy an aphrodisiac. I need to use it on someone else."

Jiraiya began to understand. "Oh, so you like someone then? Well, go on, tell me who's it for?" '_Who's the lucky girl I wonder…?_' Jiraiya wondered to himself.

"Naruto." Sai said simply.

Jiraiya face-faulted and fell sideways, falling into the water with a tremendous splash. "Naruto?!" Jiraiya came up spluttering. "But Sai…I'm not sure if Naruto likes men…although…" Jiraiya looked Sai over. "You are pretty for a boy. _Hmm~_ perhaps you could have a chance…"

Sai blushed slightly at this other misunderstanding and felt a trickle of sweat on his brow. "_Sensei_." Sai said with his voice slightly tinged with exasperation. Then Sai sighed. '_Why is it that everyone seems to assume I'm gay?_' "I intend to use it for Naruto and Hinata to get together and finally express their love for each other, _sensei_." Sai explained.

"OH!" Jiraiya burst out suddenly feeling rather foolish. "For Naruto and Hinata! That's a great idea! If we wait for those two to get a clue we'll be waiting till the next century! Don't worry Sai I'll help you." Jiraiya put a hand on Sai's shoulder.

"That's sexual harassment, _sensei_." Sai deadpanned.

"EH?!" Jiraiya freaked out and leapt back away from Sai. "I wasn't!"

"That was a joke _sensei_." Sai gave Jiraiya a small smirk. "Thank for your help."

Jiraiya let out a breath of relief. "Right, no problem." He then looked up to notice Sai's smile and shivered. "That smile of yours is just plain creepy…"

***

Sai took out a scroll of paper and unfurled it. He then pulled out a brush and with a flourish he drew a hawk. Sai then formed a hand-seal, "Beast Imitation Technique!" And the hawk pulled itself off the page and began to fly in midair. Sai reached out his forearm and the hawk landed on it obediently.

Sai attached a tiny message to the hawk's leg and gave it instructions. "Suna Village go!" He moved his arm upwards and the hawk took off into the air with a cry.

Sai watched it fly away and nodded to himself. "Now on to Stage 2." Sai then painted a whole bunch of mice and using his technique caused them to come alive. "Now, go and find Hyuga Hinata!" Sai ordered them and the mice all took off running.

In a few moments the mice had located her and one came running back up to Sai to report. Sai nodded as he discovered Hinata's location. She was training by herself at her favorite spot in the Konoha forest.

Hinata performed a hand seal. "Byakugan!" Her eyes suddenly became sharper and she began to execute a series of kicks and punches through the air. She then faltered with one forward punch, however, when she sensed Sai's presence. Hinata spun in the direction she sensed him. "Sai? What's is it?"

"Let's go." Sai declared as he walked over to her and suddenly scooped her up into his arms.

Hinata looked back at him in a mixture of shock and confusion. "Eh? Go? Go where?" '_Oh my god…am I being kidnapped….again?_'

"My house."

Hinata blushed at Sai's directness. "S-sai! Put me down this instant! The one I love is Naruto-_kun_! I'm really sorry but I cannot return your feelings!"

Sai blinked down at her. Duh. "I know. I have a plan for you to use to get Naruto to notice you." Sai began to explain as he took off through the forest while still carrying Hinata in his arms.

"A plan? What is it this time?" Hinata couldn't help but feel curious about it. And…why were all the guys carrying her around lately?! Mou! She was really beginning to feel useless!

"Homemade cookies." Sai declared simply.

Hinata's eye twitched. "Cookies? Um, would you mind expanding on that a bit Sai?"

Sai nodded. "I read in this book called _Romantic Paradise_ that when a girl likes a guy and is about to confess her feelings to him she sometimes bakes him homemade cookies. She bakes the cookies and makes sure to put all of her feelings of 'love' and her emotions into the cookies, so that when the boy she likes eats the cookies her feelings will reach him. And Naruto loves food so I don't think it will be very hard to get him to accept your cookies. I think he'd rather enjoy getting to eat some homemade cookies made by Hyuga Hinata as well." '_I know I would…_' Sai blinked at his internal monologue. '_Where had that thought come from?_'

Hinata let out a breath of relief. Cookies? That was all. She smiled. "That sounds like a great idea Sai."

Sai smiled innocently back at her. '_Gotcha. On to Stage 3._'

Despite Hinata's continued protests Sai carried her the rest of the way to his home. After all it's not like she weighed much and Sai found he rather liked the feeling of Hinata in his arms…Sai again shook his head.

Sai had all the needed ingredients already laid out for Hinata in his kitchen and so Hinata was about to get started, however, Sai stopped her.

"Wait, you can't bake in what you're wearing…"

Hinata looked down at her usual _ninja_ outfit: baggy, lavender colored jacket, dark purple undershirt, black capris, and sandals. Her brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Trust me, I've read all about this." Sai declared as he set up a canvas and wet the tip of a brush with his tongue. He looked at the canvas pensively a moment before raising his brush high into the air and then bringing it down upon the canvas in a dramatic motion.

Hinata interestedly peaked over Sai's shoulder to see what he was paining and gasped-

Sai had painted her a black and white maid's outfit, which consisted of a black dress that had a bell skirt that ended at the knees, puffed sleeves, a white, lacy apron was overtop, and there was even a matching white, frilly maid's cap. Sai had also painted a pair of black, patent leather, Mary Jane shoes.

When Sai had finished he brought his brush back and nodded at his creation. "_Yosh_." He performed a hand seal. "Ink Imitation _no Jutsu!_"

The dress began to float off the page and into Sai's waiting arms. He then handed the dress to Hinata. "Now – go and get changed." Sai directed her as he pushed her towards his bedroom.

Hinata tried to object. "B-but Sai-_kun_, I don't see how this is really necessary."

"Oh, but it is necessary, Hinata-_san_. Trust me. You _have_ to bake the cookies while wearing a maid's outfit. All the other girls in the stories did too…"

"Stories? Just what kind of books have you been reading Sai?" Hinata questioned suspiciously.

Sai tapped his chin thoughtfully, "_Hmm~_ _shoujo_ _manga_ and Jiraiya-_sensei_'s romance novels of course. Jiraiya-_sensei_'s works have been particularly helpful and informative."

Hinata paled. "Jiraiya?!" Hinata exclaimed but Sai had already pushed her into his bedroom and closed the door after her.

"I'm not letting you out of there until you put on the maid outfit, Hinata-_san_." Sai told her in a low, sickeningly sweet voice.

_Creepy!_ Hinata frowned darkly, the nerve of that guy! It was almost like she had been kidnapped and now some evil kidnapper guy was forcing her to wear an inappropriate outfit…hey, wait a sec, she HAD been kidnapped! "Sai you _oni_!" Hinata yelled back at him through the door.

"_Hai, hai._" Sai agreed unconcernedly. "Now hurry up!"

"_Grrr_…." Hinata growled from the other side of the door and sighed heavily. Sigh. It didn't appear as though she had much of a choice.

Hinata quickly dressed into the maid's outfit and then stepped out of the bedroom feeling somewhat self-conscious. She wondered if she really looked alright, she had never worn something quite like this before. It was super embarrassing. "Sai-_kun_, I'm done."

Sai walked back towards the bedroom to see Hinata standing outside of his bedroom door while fidgeting nervously under his stare. A slight blush crept upon Sai's cheeks. _Cute~_ Hyuga Hinata definitely looked cute in that maid's outfit!!!

"_Ano_…um…Sai? How do I look…" Hinata was looking down at her feet.

Sai blinked and shook his head, catching himself. He had been staring at Hinata. What had gotten into him lately? Sai slapped the sides of his face with his hands. "You look great, Hinata-_san_." '_Naruto won't be able to resist you._' He inwardly thought with a pang.

"The kitchen is this way." Sai directed her in his monotone voice as he turned to walk away and led the way to the kitchen.

Hinata looked up to see that Sai was already leaving her and hurriedly followed. The ingredients had already been prepared and so Hinata rolled up her sleeves and set to work. Hinata was already beginning to stir the batter and it wasn't long before she would begin to make small balls of cookie dough with her hands to set on the tray.

"I'll be right back. If you'll just excuse me for a moment, Hinata-_san_."

Hinata smiled back and whipped her forehead with the back of her hand, managing to get flour on her forehead. "Alright!" Hinata said back in a happy tone. Making homemade cookies was fun~

Sai grabbed a towel to gently wipe Hinata's forehead clean. "You have a bit of flour there."

Hinata blushed. "Oh, thank you, Sai-_kun_." '_Gah! Why am I blushing it's just Sai._'

Sai noticed her blush and frowned. The only one who was supposed to make Hinata blush was Naruto. '_Shit…what the hell am I doing?!_' "I-I'll be right back." Sai's voice cracked.

Sai rushed to his bedroom and got the small bottle of liquid aphrodisiac that Jiraiya-_sensei_ had given him. He noticed Hinata's _ninja_ outfit on the bed – it had been neatly folded. Sai gathered up Hinata's clothes and threw them into his trash bin. Sai smirked and put his hands together to wipe them off. _This way Hinata-chan won't be able to change before Naruto gets here…_

Sai made his way back to the kitchen and saw that Hinata had finished stirring the batter and was busy greasing the cookie tray. Sai casually walked over and while Hinata was occupied with her task he emptied the bottle of aphrodisiac into the batter.

"There are still lumps in the dough Hinata. Allow me to mix it a little more for you, Hinata-_san_." Sai offered picking up a wooden spoon.

Hinata replied absentmindedly, "Oh right, sure – go right ahead Sai."

Sai mixed the aphrodisiac into the battle and smirked. There. Perfect. _I'm so bad. _

Hinata and Sai both began to make balls of cookie dough together and began placing them on the tray.

"Hinata, would you mind if I had a small bag of these cookies? There's someone I would like to give some cookies to."

Hinata looked back at Sai in surprise. There was someone Sai wanted to give cookies to? Like a girl…Hinata frowned. Why did that thought bother her for some reason? Was it just because she had Sai had become close lately and so as her new friend she was feeling a bit overprotective of him? Yea, that had to be it. "May…I ask who?" Hinata held her breath.

"Now that…" Sai wagged a finger at Hinata and winked. "Is a secret. Sorry, Hinata-_san_." He put his index finger to his lips.

Hinata pouted. "Oh I see…"

They put the cookies in the oven and waited for them to bake.

30 minutes later…

_Ding!_

Hinata put on a pair of oven mitts to take out the cookies once they had finished baking. Hinata and Sai then began to put the cookies into two small bags that they had prepared and that they then tied off with a red ribbon.

"I think they turned out perfectly Hinata-_san_. They look delicious. You really are a wonderful cook. I'm sure that Naruto-_kun_ will really like them."

Hinata smiled back. "I hope so…now I just need to go and find him and work up the courage to give him these cookies…"

"NO!" Sai burst out and Hinata looked back at him confusedly. Sai shook his head. "I mean, I'm going to bring Naruto to meet you here…that way the two of you can be alone without any interruptions this time for when you finally confess your feelings to him."

Hinata nodded. '_He means like that bitch Sakura!_' "Alright Sai-_san_."

"I'll be right back with Naruto! You just wait here!" Sai declared as he took off.

"But-" Hinata started as she began to tell him that she needed time left to get changed. She shrugged. '_Oh well. I'm sure I have enough time…_' Hinata made her way back to Sai's room and looked at his bed – gone…her clothes were gone!

"SAI!!!"

***

Meanwhile, Naruto and Shikamaru were walking down the busy Konoha streets together while browsing the different shops and just trying to kill some time. Naruto had been assigned as Shikamaru's bodyguard – which meant he had to watch him 24/7. Naruto yawned broadly. He was SO bored.

"Shikamaru, let's go spar!" Naruto suggested.

"Spar?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at Naruto and imagined himself having to dodge Naruto's Rasengan. Shikamaru gulped. "I'm not really the sparring type Naruto. It's much too troublesome."

Naruto pouted, "Then…let's go eat _ramen_!"

Shikamaru looked back at Naruto in disbelief. "Naruto, we just ate."

"Stingy…_keh_…" Naruto pouted looking away and began to think, "Then let's go-"

"Shikamaru-_kun_!" Came a female voice.

Shikamaru and Naruto both turned around to see that it was none other than the Suna _ninja_ Temari.

Naruto's jaw dropped.

Shikamaru looked equally surprised and tried to remain cool~ "T-temari?! What are you doing here?"

Temari ran up to them, a smile on her face. "What do you mean 'what are you doing here?'. You invited me here didn't you? I received your letter back in Suna. It's your birthday today isn't it?"

"Birthday? Letter?" Shikamaru echoed confusedly. "But Temari today isn't-"

Sai suddenly popped up out of nowhere and interrupted Shikamaru. "Ah, so Shikamaru-_san_ today is your birthday! I had no idea. I feel awful for having forgotten. Allow me to give you a gift – I just happen to have two front row tickets to the grand opening of Unlucky Princess Returns: The movie!" Sai reached into his pocket and pulled out the tickets and held them out in a dramatic fashion.

Temari's eyes sparkled. "_Ooo~_ the Unlucky Princess Returns?! I so wanted to get to see that movie but they don't have a movie theater in Suna…" She trailed off sadly.

Sai handed Temari the tickets. "Well, today is your lucky day! You can go with Shikamaru and celebrate his birthday together! Now run along and have fun you two!" Sai declared as he began to push them off.

Temari blushed. "Thank you…?"

"Came me Sai."

Temari smiled back. "Alright then, Sai-_kun_. Let's go Shikamaru!" Temari latched onto his arm.

Shikamaru was beginning to look a little panicked.

"_Oi oi oi!_" Naruto began to interrupt them. "You two can't just go to the movies – I'm supposed to be your bodyguard Shikamaru! It's much too dangerous!"

"Bodyguard?" Temari turned to Shikamaru and gave him a sharp look. "What's gong on Shikamaru? You didn't say that you were in any trouble."

"How troublesome." Shikamaru sighed heavily and shook his head. "Some Akatsuki chick is after me, that's all."

"Akatsuki?" A fierce aura began to form around Temari in response. "I'll kill anyone who tries to harm a hair on my Shikamaru's head!" Temari declared and brought her fan down to slice a gigantic crater in the earth before her as she destroyed an imaginary enemy. "Just who does this girl think she is! She shouldn't underestimate a Suna _ninja_!"

Naruto felt a trickle of sweat form on his brow.

Shikamaru blushed at her declaration. "Temari…"

Sai put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You see, you have nothing to worry about, Naruto-_kun_. Temari-_san_ will protect Shikamaru if anyone attacks while they're at the movies. According to my information Temari is extremely strong."

"But-" Naruto persisted.

"And if you're still worried-" Sai got out a scroll, unfurled it its blank paper, and took out a brush. Sai then painted another hawk and it flew off of the page. "Then Shikamaru and Temari can take this hawk with them. If they run into any trouble they can merely send the hawk to come and find us."

"Well…I dunno…" Naruto was still a bit reluctant to let Shikamaru out of his sight. After all, he considered Shikamaru one of his good friends – someone that he needed to protect since Naruto would be the future _hokage_ of Konoha!

Sai leaned in to whisper in Naruto's ear, "Don't you want Shikamaru to be happy on his birthday Naruto? Haven't you noticed how down Shikamaru has been lately…after what happened with Asuma-_sensei_. Don't you think he deserves to have a little fun? Besides, if you go with them you'll only end up being a third wheel. Can't you see how much Shikamaru likes her?"

Naruto's eyes widened as Sai's words sank in and he began to feel guilty. Naruto looked over towards Shikamaru and Temari and blinked – he had never really noticed it before but Sai was right. As he watched Shikamaru and Temari interact with each other – Shikamaru was trying hard not to smile and Temari was talking to him animatedly. He looked…happy. For the first time in a while too. "Oh my god, I think you're actually right Sai." Naruto sighed and ruffled his own hair. "Alright, alright, you win Sai. Though…" Naruto raised an eyebrow at the pale boy. "I don't really understand what _you're _getting out of all this."

Sai smirked. "Why the pleasure of _your_ company of course!" He winked.

Naruto blushed and backpedaled, "S-sai! I already told you I don't swing that way!"

Sai sighed. "Each and everyone of them…I didn't mean it like that Naruto-_kun_ but come on there's something I need to show you." Sai latched onto Naruto's arm and began to drag him off.

"Ah…Sai! Remember what I said about personal space!" Naruto began to complain to the other boy. "And show me what exactly? Wha! I have a bad feeling about this…Shikamaru save me! Sai's going to corrupt me or something! I just know it!"

Shikamaru and Temari both burst out laughing at the boys' antics.

"They make a cute couple _neh?_" Temari teased loudly.

"Yea! I agree Temari! I say go for it Naruto! He's hot!" Shikamaru joked in a loud voice.

"But not as hot as me right?" Temari questioned.

Shikamaru scratched the side of his cheek nervously, "O-of course not, Temari."

Temari beamed and latched onto Shikamaru's arm once more. "Let's go to the movie!"

Shikamaru half-smirked. "How troublesome."

***

Naruto and Sai arrived at Sai's house that was in the middle of the woods and which resembled a log cabin. Sai knocked on the door and it was Hinata who opened it from within. Naruto's eyes widened in shock when he saw that it was Hinata AND that she was dressed in a cute maid's outfit. There was this adorable tinge of pink to her cheeks-

Hinata's eyes widened when she caught sight of Naruto next to Sai, "N-naruto-_kun_!"

Sai pushed the stunned still Naruto inside…

Naruto's brow furrowed and he turned to Sai confused. "_Oi_ Sai, what was it that you wanted to show me?"

Sai merely raised an eyebrow at Naruto in response. How dense could a guy get?

Hinata was beginning to turn even redder.

Sai leaned over to whisper in Naruto's ear, "I designed that maid's outfit myself. Don't you think she looks cute?"

Naruto leapt away from Sai since he could feel the boy's hot breath in his ear – that Sai! He never knew how to keep out of Naruto's personal bubble. Naruto shivered – that pale boy always made him nervous for some reason too…he was definitely not to be trusted.

Naruto simply nodded back dumbly, beginning to feel a bit out of his element.

Sai sighed. "I taught Hinata how to make these special triple chocolate chip cookies. She'd be very happy if you would try them, Naruto."

Naruto turned his attention back to Hinata once more. He couldn't help but look her over again. _Cute~_

'_I concur…she looks…simply delectable in that maid's outfit, pup. I say you take her now and-'_ Kyuubi was saying in his mind.

'_AH! Get out of my head you stupid fox!_' Naruto grasped his head. '_NO! The one I want is Sakura-chan!_'

Hinata had a small bag of cookies held in her two hands, which she then held out towards Naruto shyly. "Would you like to try one Naruto-kun?"

Naruto gave Hinata a warm smile, "Sure I-" Naruto was saying as he approached her-

Sai suddenly hit the open palm of his left hand with his right fist. "Ah! I just remembered something I need to go do! I'll be back soon guys! _Ja-ne!_"

Hinata's eyes widened – Sai just planned to leave her there a-a-alone with Naruto?! Well – that was sort of the whole point of the plan but – she'd faint!

Sai rushed out of the cabin and slammed the door loudly behind him.

While Hinata was about to have an internal implosion Naruto had plucked the bag of cookies from Hinata's hands and opened the bag up to take one of the cat head-shaped cookies and plop it into his mouth.

Naruto's eyes widened, "Hey! These are really delicious Hinata-_chan_!" Naruto declared excitedly as he casually went over and sat himself down on Sai's couch to continue eating the cookies.

Hinata blinked and turned to watch Naruto plop another cookie into his mouth happily, she let out a breath of relief. "_H-honto?_ Really?" '_Kyaaa! Naruto-kun looks so sexy reclining on the couch like that…and his new black ninja jacket suits him so much better than that blue and orange one. Kyaa~'_

Naruto nodded back vigorously.

Hinata fidgeted, "_Ano_…um, would you like me to go make you some tea?"

"Sure." Naruto replied.

Hinata rushed off to the kitchen and put both hands on the counter as she tried to catch her breath. N-naruto was there with her alone and eating her cookies! Chance! She had to tell Naruto how she felt!

Hinata quickly prepared the tea and on a small tray took out two steaming cups of green tea into the living room-

During that time Naruto had managed to eat practically ALL of the cookies and there were only a few left. Naruto looked up as Hinata approached. "Ah you brought the tea!"

Hinata nodded and hesitated before gathering her courage to sit next to Naruto on the couch. She set the tray down gently and carefully set Naruto's cup of tea before him.

"Thanks Hinata I-" Naruto was saying as he reached for his cup of tea, only to stop.

Hinata turned to eye him curiously and saw that Naruto's face appeared somewhat flushed-

"Naruto-_kun_, are you alright?"

Naruto turned to her and nodded, "Yes, I just felt a bit dizzy just now for some reason I-" Naruto began to collapse in her direction.

"Naruto-_kun_!" Hinata grasped him by his shoulders, "What's wrong?"

"H-hinata…" Naruto panted, as he looked at her, their faces mere inches apart. "I feel…funny."

Hinata's brows furrowed in concern. '_Funny?' _

But then Naruto was leaning forward and even though Hinata tried to push him back it was no use – as he fell on her – but then somehow Naruto's lips had ended up on her own.

Hinata's eyes widened in total shock. Naruto was kissing her?!

Hinata gasped and tried to speak but Naruto took this as an invitation to explore her mouth with his tongue.

Hinata thought she would pass out – but pulled herself together when she felt Naruto's burning forehead against her own.

Did Naruto have a fever? He wasn't quite acting like himself, so that might explain it…

But as Naruto continued to caress her tongue with his own, all logical thoughts seemed to fly out of Hinata's head as she surrendered herself to the kiss and the new sensations that Naruto was making her feel.

Naruto cupped her cheek as he kissed her and the began to lean Hinata back on the couch so that he was hovering over her.

As he kissed her his hands began to roam over her body but Hinata barely noticed since she was too busy enjoying getting kissed senseless by Naruto.

His kiss was oddly demanding, hungry, almost desperate.

***

Naruto felt hot and heat seemed to pool somewhere in his lower stomach area – this restless feeling filled him – and when he saw Hinata's slightly parted lips he had acted on pure instinct to urgently crash his lips against her own.

A part of Naruto's mind that was still lucid half-expected Hinata to push him away and was surprised when she instead seemed to give into their kiss and surrender herself to him…

A pliant Hinata now in his arms – Naruto's inner beast seemed to growl appreciatively as he kissed her even more passionately than before.

He began to push her back onto the couch and somewhere along the way had ended up straddling her…his hands roamed Hinata's body and as a soft broken moan left Hinata's lips 'something' broke inside of Naruto – a dam that had been holding back his want, desire, and emotions for Hinata.

He caressed her breasts through the fabric of her maid outfit and rubbed her nipples with his thumb until he could feel them hardening at his touch and attentions.

Hinata mewled beneath him and arched her back – pressing her body closer against Naruto's. Naruto pressed his body down and closer to hers in response…

He began to slide one of his hands up Hinata's leg, to her upper thigh and then he was sliding one of his fingers inside of her lacy underwear. As he stroke the pearl between the petal-like folds of her womanhood Naruto was surprised to find that she was wet with desire.

Naruto growled low in his throat in response, his eyes flashing red. He could smell her desire and it was beginning to drive him mad. "Hinata-_chan_, you're so wet…"

Hinata was gasping and panting for breath as Naruto touched and stroked her – awakening feelings and sensations she had never known existed before.

Naruto then dared to try and slip a single finger inside of Hinata. Hinata gasped out in surprise and her inner walls clenched around him nervously. Naruto felt his heart skip a beat and his pants felt much too confining all of a sudden. She was just so gloriously tight – imaging how she would feel around him, Naruto gulped.

He wiggled his finger experimentally, "Shhh, just relax…I won't hurt you." Naruto leaned over to purr in her ear.

As Hinata's body slowly began to relax Naruto was able to move his finger in and out of her now, Naruto brought down his hand to caress her pearl at the same time…

Hinata let out a low moan, "Ah, ah, ah Naruto-_kun_. I'm going to…?"

Naruto pumped his finger out of her and stroked her faster until Hinata came – with a small, soft, stifled cry as Hinata bit down on her lower lip while trying not to make a sound.

Naruto brought up one of his hands to lick her sweet juices from his fingers and gave Hinata a feral look. He was just about ready to take her—

***

"_Are?_ Huh?" Naruto blinked down at Hinata in shock. He pulled back from Hinata to realize that he had been kissing her passionately for some reason and that his hands had begun to roam over her body – Naruto looked down in utter shock to see that one of his hands was currently resting on one of her breasts – HUH?!!!!

Hinata looked up at Naruto questioningly and was slightly out of breath from their kiss – she too then seemed to realize that Naruto had one of his hands on one of her breasts. "N-naruto-_kun_?"

"Ah!" Naruto quickly removed his hand from Hinata's breast and looked down at her in shock. What the hell had he been doing?! He had been about to 'take advantage' of Hinata like in his daydream – he had even kissed Hinata…and Hinata…was…?

Slightly trembling beneath him with a somewhat shocked expression on her face! Ack! He must have completely scared her! What was he some kind of pervert!? What the hell had come over him for him to lose control over himself like that?! He was a complete and total jerk – he was scum! "H-hinata-_chan_! I'm so sorry I…I shouldn't have…I'm such a…" Naruto began to apologize, his voice cracked, and his eyes burned.

For some reason Kyuubi was cackling amusedly in Naruto's mind.

'_How embarrassing!_ _I'm about to cry in front of a girl. Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!'_

Hinata however just blinked up at Naruto in surprise wondering what was wrong until she saw the pain in Naruto's blue eyes…he almost looked like he was about to cry! But why? Hinata mused. Was it perhaps because…he thought that he had taken advantage of her? Or done something that she didn't want?

The fool, Hinata smiled warmly up at him and her trembling ceased. Why had she been so nervous? Afraid even? This was Naruto – he would never harm her. He wouldn't hurt a fly really. He wasn't that kind of person. And…she had enjoyed their fist kiss. She couldn't let Naruto think otherwise – she had to tell him – explain to him that she had wanted this too.

Hinata took a deep breath and gathered her courage to speak. "Naruto-_kun_…" Hinata raised her hands and to Naruto's awe did not use them to slap him or push him away – slowly, very slowly, she wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck instead. Naruto's eyes widened. "I…don't regret it."

The pain that was in Naruto's eyes was slowly being replaced with something else.

"I…the truth is Naruto I…really want-" _you_.

BAM

The front door to Sai's cabin suddenly burst open and there standing in the doorway were a disheveled looking Sai and Sakura. Sai's shirt was untucked and Sakura's clothes seemed to be in disarray. Both were panting for breath…

"Konoha! It's under attack!" Sakura burst out.

TBC…

**By Sophia Hughlette**

**Author of the anime-style novel Shinigami Boy**

AN: Yep, another _spicy_ chapter for you. Hope you enjoyed it! It will only be one or two more chapters before Hinata becomes a jinchuriki **gasp**! I'll try to update ASAP! Please let me know what you think or if you have any ideas I could/should use. And this story is sort of taking on a darker tinge than I had originally planned for…do you all mind? Or did you like the more innocent Teen feeling of it before better? Let me know. I can make it less dark if so.

Kage Bijuu- lol! Yea…for some reason Sakura is turning out to be so evil in my fic. But she's always really irritated me, the way she treats Naruto really pisses me off.

Dragon Man 180: hehe…a Yami and Hidan lemon? That might come later….well, I hope you enjoyed the lemony goodness between Hinata and Naruto in this chappy instead. Oh but wait…it was all a daydream wasn't it. Damn. Poor Naruto will he ever get his groove on?

Gravity The Wizard – Perhaps that will be arranged…buwhahaha

Thanks for reading all!


	6. Chapter 6

Jinchuriki Hinata Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 6: _A Beautiful Lily…or a Poisonous Flower?_

"Konoha is under attack!"

Sakura's eyes widened in shock when she caught sight of Naruto and Hinata – with Naruto straddling Hinata and with Hinata's arms around his neck.

Sakura saw red. "Naruto _no baka!_"

Sai was also eyeing Naruto and Hinata's current position curiously. What had that pang in his chest been when he spotted them together? And what was up with that relief he felt when he realized that nothing had really happened between Naruto and Hinata yet? Sai shook his head feeling very unsure and uneasy about himself and his feelings. Feelings? He wasn't even supposed to have those. '_Why do I feel this way? Is it because perhaps…to me…Hinata is…?' _

Sai then noticed the tears in Naruto's eyes and a slight smirk came to his face. '_Isn't the girl the one who's supposed to cry during their first time? That dick-less…' _He thought in an amused and affectionate tone.

Naruto flushed and stubbornly wiped the unshed tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. Naruto put up his hands before him in a surrendering gesture. "Ah! This isn't what it looks like, Sakura-_chan_! This is…! I wasn't…!"

"Naruto!" Sakura growled and began to crack her knuckles, a fiery aura flaring up around her.

Hinata unconsciously hugged Naruto closer to her in response.

Sai shook his head at all of them. "There's no time for all of this – Konoha is under attack remember."

Naruto and Hinata both stared back at Sai. "Attack?"

They quickly got off of each other and quickly made their way over to Sai and Sakura.

Sakura's anger at Naruto seemed to deflate at the reminder of the current situation. "Yes, that's why we came to get you, _baka_ Naruto. You're supposed to be Shikamaru's bodyguard! And Hidan is going on a rampage in Konoha!"

"Hidan!" Naruto clenched his fist.

Sai nodded back stoically.

"Let's go kick his ass!" Naruto declared.

Hinata was eyeing Sakura and Sai speculatively. "Why were the two of you _together_?"

Sakura suddenly blushed and looked guilty while Sai was about to open his mouth and speak – probably to 'open mouth – insert foot'. Sakura grasped Sai and slapped a hand over his mouth and began to laugh nervously. "Ahahahaha! No reason! Come on let's go!"

Naruto gave the two a strange look before shrugging. "Yea, whatever."

***

Currently in the heart of Konoha…Hidan was on a rampage while acting completely insane. Madness and insanity had completely overtaken him and the only thing he really knew for sure what that Konoha and all of its inhabitants were his enemy.

Hidan laughed maniacally as he swung his giant scythe-like weapon through the air, "Ahahahaha! Die Die Die! Konoha!" He declared in a crazed fashion as he slashed his scythe again and again through the air cutting through innocent bystanders left and right.

Konoha _ninja_ then arrived on the scene and gathered around Hidan forming a circle around him and trapping him so that he was unable to target any more innocents. "Keh." Hidan frowned as he looked around at the _ninja_ circled around him. The _ninja_ raised their _kunai_ and attacked Hidan, but then Hidan's frown turned into a cocky smirk and as they approached he merely let his chakra go wild and while swinging his scythe madly and in a circle through the air around him he managed to send all of the Konoha _ninja_ flying back.

"AHHH!" The Konoha _ninja_ cried out as they were blasted back. Hidan laughed gleefully and formed a symbol made of blood beneath him – a circle with a triangle in its center. "And now you die!" Hidan declared as he raised his scythe – about to stab himself through.

"HIDAN!" Came an angry sounding female voice.

Hidan turned curiously to see a beautiful female _ninja_ with wavy black hair and ruby-red colored eyes, who was wearing a short white and red _kimono_ dress.

It was none other than Kurenai.

Hidan smiled as he openly leered at her, eyeing her from head to toe. "A beautiful lily _ka_…?" But Hidan's pleased look suddenly slid off his face almost comically once he caught sight of Kurenai's leaf _ninja_ headband. His face turning pale, he swallowed. "So now Konoha sends a beautiful lily after me? EH KONOHA!?" Hidan's pupils had dilated and were moving back and forth in his eyes as insanity was overtaking him. Hidan threw his head back and laughed maniacally before then swinging his head back down and giving Kurenai a murderous look. "DIE KONOHA BITCH!" Hidan declared as he left the cursed symbol circle and charged Kurenai. "HAAAA!"

Kurenai took out a _kunai_ dagger and attacked – their weapons clashed, steel skidding across steel. Sparks flew up into the air as they both tried to overpower their opponent. Slash. Block. Clash. Evade.

They both then leapt at each other and then Kurenai began to form the hand seals for a _genjutsu_, Illusion Technique. The telephone pole that was directly next to Hidan suddenly appeared to come alive and sprout arms, which it wrapped around Hidan's torso restraining him.

Hidan struggled in Kurenai's grasp. "Bitch! Let me go!" As Kurenai's grip tightened around him he was forced to drop his scythe-

But Kurenai didn't stop there and her arms were constricting around Hidan in a snake-like manner until the cracking sound of Hidan's bones breaking was heard. _Now I'll finish him…Asuma…_Kurenai declared in her mind as she caused her arms to wrap around Hidan's body even more tightly than before.

Hidan cried out in pain, "Ahhhh!"

But then Hidan smiled. "Not." Hidan licked his lips.

The figure of Hidan that was in Kurenai's arms suddenly turned into blood. It had been a shadow clone entirely made of blood stolen from Hidan's many victims, and which suddenly popped light a balloon and then exploded due to Kurenai's finishing move.

Kurenai leapt backwards so that the blood wouldn't get on her, her eyes were wide, "A Blood Clone…then where…?" Kurenai turned to try and find any sign of Hidan.

Hidan was suddenly right besides her purring, whispering in her ear, "You're not bad, Konoha bitch. But you're still no match for me." Hidan suddenly bit down on Kurenai's ear.

Kurenai cried out in pain and raised her _kunai_ to bring it down upon Hidan and it arched through the air to come down and slice through Hidan's left arm.

Hidan leapt away from her then, "Bitch!" He declared as his severed arm fell to the ground.

Kurenai let out a cry as she raised her _kunai_ and prepared to attack him again. "AHHH!" She charged forward.

Hidan executed several back flips between them to increase the distance between himself and Kurenai-

However, Kurenai was suddenly upon him as his feet finally touched the ground.

"Die you bastard! This is for Asuma!" Kurenai declared as she brought the _kunai_ that was in her right hand forward as her forearm pivoted outward from her chest horizontally – she stabbed Hidan right in the center of his chest. Kurenai gave Hidan a triumphant look before her eyes widened and she suddenly coughed up a great deal of blood-

Hidan smiled at her, a chilling smile. "Gotcha." His grin widened Cheshire-like.

Kurenai looked down in shock to see that Hidan was standing on that same circular symbol that he had created on the ground earlier.

"B-bastard…" Kurenai declared as she stubbornly pressed her _kunai_ forward.

Hidan licked his lips, "_Mmm~_ that feels good my beautiful lily…yes, pierce me just like that…harder…deeper…"

Kurenai flinched when she felt the pain instead. _Shit_. Kurenai swore in her mind.

Hidan put his head back and let out a guffawing laugh. "Buwhahaha!"

Hidan then looked back at the struggling Kurenai, who was trying her best to stay conscious. Hidan reached out and stroked her cheek in a satirically loving manner. "My beautiful lily…or perhaps are you really a poisonous flower? No…a rose with thorns? Tell me, poisonous flower, were you in love with him? That man I killed eh? A- S – U – M – A. He was weak…"

Kurenai's eyes narrowed dangerously at Hidan and flashed with renewed anger. "You bastard…I'll kill you…!"

Hidan merely chuckled in response. "Not before I kill you first, my dear." Hidan took the _kunai_ out of Kurenai's grasp and out of his chest. "Now it's time to join your pathetic man, poisonous flower!" Hidan declared as he was about to stab himself in the heart-

Kurenai's eyes widened in fear, "No! Wait! You can't! My bab-!"

"KURENAI-_SENSEI_! SHADOW BIND _NO JUTSU!_" Came Shikamaru's frantic voice. Shikamaru's shadow surged forward and attached to Hidan's in the blink of an eye.

Just as Hidan was about to bring the _kunai_ upon himself his movements were suddenly stopped. Hidan looked up, "_KORA!_ BASTARD!" Hidan growled before he caught sight of who he was actually yelling at and then he paled when he realized it was Shikamaru. Hidan's eyes immediately drifted to his forehead protector and the image of the symbol of Konoha – the leaf, was reflected in Hidan's blood-red eyes.

"You…! It's you!" Hidan began to spit out brokenly. A look of pure fear suddenly crossed Hidan's face as he stared back at Shikamaru, his eyes widening and his teeth beginning to chatter. "No…! Stay away!" Hidan began to struggle frantically against Shikamaru's technique, trying to break free and beginning to freak out as he found that his efforts seemed futile. "Someone! Help me!"

Kurenai turned to look at Shikamaru and Temari, who had both arrived on the scene. "Shika…maru…?" Kurenai said in a low voice as she suddenly fell backwards.

"Kurenai-_sensei!_" Shikamaru cried out as he watched her fall back-

And into Hinata's waiting arms.

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Hinata-_san_?"

And there next to Hinata, Shikamaru also saw that Naruto, Sai and Sakura had arrived on the scene. "Guys…?"

"Don't underestimate me! You Leaf Bastards!" Hidan cried as he managed to break free from Shikamaru's technique.

"Shit!" Shikamaru swore. "He's still in that damned circle! Kurenai!"

Hidan laughed and prepared to stab himself again-

"I don't think so you bastard!" Naruto declared as he appeared in front of Hidan suddenly and with a swirling ball of chakra in hand. "Rasengan!"

Hidan instinctually leapt backwards and out of the way of Naruto's attack. "Tsk." Hidan tsked realizing his mistake.

Blood was dripping down from the stump of Hidan's left arm…this blood suddenly began to transform into tentacles that leapt out and began to wrap themselves around Hidan's scythe like rope and then Hidan concentrated on pulling back on these blood ropes so that his scythe went flying back through the air and to his waiting right hand.

"Punk. I'll kill you!" Hidan declared as he swung his scythe forward.

Naruto dodged out of the way.

"I'll kill you ALL!" Hidan yelled as he began to laugh while he attacked Naruto.

Hinata meanwhile was laying Kurenai-_sensei_ on the ground gently. "Kurenai-_sensei!_" Hinata pressed her hands to Kurenai's chest and summoned her healing chakra. Hinata's hands were enveloped in a green-tinged light and this light began to pass into Kurenai's body. "Byakugan!" Hinata activated her Hyuga eyes to see how Kurenai's wound was healing and she saw that she was closing it successfully, however…

Kurenai's heart was still slowing down. Hinata's eyes widened in fear. Kurenai had been like a mother to Hinata…to lose her would be…Hinata shook her head. Now was not the time for her to break. She had to be strong. She saw that Sakura was about to go off and help Naruto and though she hated to admit it – she needed Sakura's help. "Sakura-_san!_ I need your help! Kurenai's heart is slowing down! She's suffering from ventricular fibrillation. Her body is going into shock!"

Sakura stopped mid-run and spun around to turn and face Hinata instead. She gave the girl a cool assessing look before she sighed and nodded before rushing to Hinata's side. "What must I do?"

Hinata took in Kurenai's condition and decided on using a defibrillator (heart starting machine) technique. "Put your hands on the wound while continuing to heal her and I will use the Defibrillator Technique."

Sakura's eyes widened. "You can perform that technique? It's supposed to be incredibly difficult to master. I couldn't even do it. The amount of chakra control necessary is unreal, how could _you_-"

"Sakura." Came Hinata's harsh voice. "Now is not the time for petty competition. We must save Kurenai-_sensei_…and her baby." Hinata declared.

Sakura's eyes widened in shock and she gasped. "Baby?"

Hinata had noticed Kurenai's pregnancy as soon as she had activated her Byakugan in order to see the extent of Kurenai's internal injuries. A new chakra signature was present and inside of her. Hinata nodded.

A steely expression came over Sakura's face and she nodded. "Let's do this, Hinata."

"Right." Hinata agreed as she began to perform a series of complex hand seals. She then placed her hands directly over Kurenai's heart. "Defibrillator Technique!" A blast of electrified chakra went into Kurenai's heart directly…but Hinata saw that Kurenai's heart was still slowing down. Had she lost the will to live? _Sensei…! Shit. Once more._ Hinata bit her lip and concentrated. "Defibrillator Technique! Come on…LIVE _SENSEI!_" Again a blast of chakra was sent into Kurenai's heart…

Shikamaru had rushed over to the girls' side and bent down next to Kurenai as well. "Kurenai-_sensei!_ Don't leave us! I-"

And then Kurenai's heart stopped.

Hinata sucked in a breath.

But then, Kurenai's heart suddenly began to beat once more and Hinata let out a breath of relief. _Whew~_

"Asuma…Asuma…no…come back…don't leave me alone again…" Kurenai murmured to herself as tears streamed down her face.

Shikamaru reached out and took one of Kurenai's hands. "You're not alone Kurenai…Asuma told me to watch over you. And I intend to." There was an oddly serious glint in Shikamaru's eyes.

Temari watched this exchange with a slightly pained expression on her face. "Shikamaru…?" Why did he suddenly seem so far away from her at that moment? Temari wondered.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Sai were facing off with Hidan.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!_" Several shadow clones of Naruto appeared and they all ran to attack Hidan head on with _kunai_ raised before them.

Hidan let out a battle cry and swung his scythe through the air and took out most of Naruto's shadow clones.

"Beast Imitation _no Jutsu!_" Sai had taken out a scroll and had quickly painted some _shishi_, lion dogs that moved to attack Hidan.

Hidan merely laughed at their pathetic attempts to hurt him.

"Damned brats! Is that the best you can do?!" Hidan asked as he destroyed Sai's ink creatures easily with his scythe.

"Tsk." Naruto complained. "This guy is tough."

"He's also immortal according to Shikamaru." Sai reminded him.

Naruto sighed. "Yea, I know…" '_If I used Rasen-Shuriken he would get completely torn up by the technique. It could defeat him but-' _Naruto was internally debating.

"Naruto!" Sai called out a warning to his distracted friend.

"Shit!" Naruto swore when Hidan had suddenly appeared directly in front of him. Naruto leapt backwards but just as he dodged the swing of Hidan's scythe – the scythe cut through the front of Naruto's shirt and lightly grazed him.

Hidan smiled triumphantly as he leapt away from Naruto.

"Oh you're not getting away!" Naruto declared as he ran after Hidan.

"Beast Imitation _no Jutsu!_" Sai declared as a giant hawk came to life and rose up and off of his scroll and flew towards Hidan. Sai performed a special hand seal so that the hawk's vision and his own became one. He then set his sight on his target – There! "Now!" Sai declared.

The hawk cried out as it swooped down and grasped Hidan's scythe and pulled it out of Hidan's grasp. "What the fuck?!" Hidan bellowed angrily as his scythe was suddenly stolen from him. "Shit! Fucking bastard! _KORA!_" Hidan swore profusely and was about to leave the cursed circle when he stopped himself. Hidan bit his lip. '_These brats are pretty good. They almost managed to get me to leave the cursed circle.' _

Naruto was almost upon Hidan now-

Hidan turned to face him and narrowed his eyes at Naruto, "Hold it right there, damned brat." Hidan ordered as he raised his hand – the stump of his left arm began to form a fake arm and hand that was made entirely of blood and it was this new arm and hand that he used to grab one of the fingers on his right hand. He then broke his own index finger.

Naruto stumbled because of the pain, cried out, and then fell forward…

"Naruto!" Sai cried out concernedly.

"I'm okay…" Naruto declared as he struggled to stand.

Hidan raised an eyebrow at him and smiled, "Oh you think so do you?" Hidan moved to his middle finger next.

Crack

"Ahhhh!" Naruto cried out in pain.

"I don't think you realize the situation you're in, asshole. Don't move. Your life is in my hands now." Hidan smirked cruelly.

Naruto frowned and grit his teeth against the pain. _Shit!_ He had to get Hidan out of that damned circle somehow! He had to keep moving forward – Naruto didn't stop and instead took another step forward.

Hidan's eyes widened. "I said don't move!" Hidan grasped another finger and broke it.

Naruto bit his lip to keep from crying out-

Hidan was beginning to look fearful – "W-why?! Why are you still walking forward?! Aren't you afraid?! I will hurt you! I can even kill you!"

Naruto gave Hidan a broken half-smirk, "I never give up. That's my way of the _ninja_."

"Naruto!" Hinata called out concernedly as she turned her attention to the ongoing battle.

"B-bastard! Stay away!" Hidan burst out fearfully as he grasped his arm threateningly – "Stop or I'll-"

CRACK

Naruto howled out in pain and collapsed as Hidan broke his arm this time.

"Don't come any closer! No! Don't get up! Stay down damn you!" Hidan cried as he watched as Naruto began to struggle to get up. "I'll make it so you can't come any closer!" Hidan reached down and grasped his own leg next-

CRACK

Naruto again let out a scream as Hidan broke his leg.

Hidan's own arm had also been hanging limply at his side. And now as Hidan broke his own leg – Hidan also collapsed on the ground…

Hidan laughed and grabbed his other leg, "I'll break all the bones in your body one by one, _KORA!_"

"No! Stop!" Came Hinata's frantic call.

"_HIDAN!_" Came a loud, concerned sounding, and slightly angry voice.

Hidan turned and looked up to see Yami, "Yami…?"

Yami took in the sight of Hidan missing an arm – his own broken arm and one broken leg and saw that he was about to break another of his legs. She noticed that the Kyuubi Jinchuriki was on the ground – but Hidan was going too far! The insanity and madness must have consumed him again, Yami realized, he was destroying not only his enemy but also himself! Hidan may have been immortal but even he would need time for his bones to heal anew.

"Hidan _no baka!_ Stop!" Yami rushed towards him.

Yami rushed over to Hidan and knelt at his side, tears in her eyes, "Oh Hidan…what have you done?"

"Yami?" Hidan quirked his head at her childishly. "What's wrong – why are you crying?"

"Shit." Yami bit down on her lower lip. "We're getting out of here-!" Yami stood up and turned to face Sai who had his hand outstretched and was about to retrieve Hidan's scythe from his hawk's grasp.

"I don't think so." Yami declared as she raised her arms and from out of her sleeves shot her spider's web. Her webbing flew through the air and she controlled it to grasp around Hidan's scythe and yanked it away from the hawk before Sai could get it.

The scythe went flying through the air and Yami caught it in her one hand. She then turned to see that her spiders were diligently carrying Hidan's arm her way. Yami made sure to stay within the circle with Hidan as she eyed the Konoha brats warily to see if they would try to make a move-

Yami smirked as she put Hidan's scythe under his chin, up against his neck. "You Konoha _ninja_ are smarter than you look – you realize I have a hostage – one wrong move and I'll kill the Kyuubi Jinchuriki."

Hidan gulped and could feel the blade pressing against his Adam's apple. "Yami…" He murmured in pleasure as the blade slightly cut into his flesh.

Sai, Sakura, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Temari all watched Yami angrily – unable to do anything as she picked up Hidan's severed arm. She then moved to reattach Hidan's arm and using her spider's silk she sewed his arm back in place.

Yami then hoisted Hidan up and flung one of his arms around her shoulders.

"Yami, where are we going?" Hidan pouted in a childish, whiney voice.

"We're retreating." Yami informed him sternly.

"_Yadda_." Hidan complained. "I was just starting to have fun~"

Yami gave Hidan a pitying look and shook her head at him, "We're going!" Yami formed a hand seal, "Just you wait Konoha! This isn't over! I'll heal Hidan and then we'll be back for our revenge! Count on it! Teleportation _no Jutsu!_" '_I have to find a way to return you to normal, Hidan…'_

_pop_

"No wait!" Shikamaru cried out as he watched them disappear. "Dammit! They escaped."

As soon as Hidan and Yami had disappeared Hinata and Sakura rushed over to Naruto's side. "Naruto!"

Hinata turned Naruto's broken and battered body over.

Naruto looked up at the worried faces of Hinata and Sakura and forced himself to smile, "Hey, don't make that face girls, I'm…alright…I…" Naruto began before he flinched as he tried to move and the pain caused him to pass out – his head falling sideways.

"Naruto-_kun!_" Hinata exclaimed, extremely worried.

Sakura shook her head at Naruto, "_Baka_…what's the point of pretending to be alright? We're going to need to heal him anyways. Hinata." Sakura turned to get the dark girl's attention.

Hinata was beginning to panic as she looked down at Naruto worriedly. '_What if Hidan still has some of Naruto's blood…can the ritual be carried out elsewhere?'_ "Naruto-_kun_…! Naruto is-!"

SLAP

Sakura slapped the panicking Hinata hard across the face. Hinata turned to blink back at Sakura in shock.

"Pull yourself together Hinata. Naruto needs us to heal him. Now come on!" Sakura summoned and gathered her healing, green-colored chakra into her hands and placed both of her hands on Naruto's broken arm. "You get his leg."

"_H-hai!_" Hinata responded, coming out of her panicked stupor – she too quickly gathered her healing chakra and placing both hands on Naruto's leg began to heal him. '_Naruto…even as Hidan was breaking the bones in your body you still continued moving forward._'

'_I don't give up – I always keep moving forward. That is my way of the ninja!' _Naruto had declared.

'_How I love this brave young man who never gives up – who hurts himself for the sake of others…Naruto-kun…I love you even more than before._' Hinata looked down at Naruto with a loving expression on her face.

Sakura noticed this however and smiled slyly, "You've gotten more confident, aye Hinata? I hadn't noticed the change in you. You even had Naruto right where you wanted him earlier didn't you?"

Hinata blushed and turned her head away, "I don't know what you mean. Nothing happened between us…"

"_Hmmm~_" Sakura began thoughtfully. "Good – because I'm not going to let Naruto go so easily Hinata-_chan_. Naruto belongs to me."

Hinata's gaze snapped back to Sakura and she narrowed her lavender-colored eyes at her. "Naruto doesn't belong to anyone Sakura. Naruto isn't your toy – he's a human being!"

"I beg to differ – Naruto _is_ my toy. My tool. So don't get in my way." Sakura gave Hinata a dangerous look.

Hinata glared back and lighting seemed to flash between the eyes of the two girls. "I know what you're up to Sakura – you just want to use Naruto to get Sasuke back don't you?"

Sakura shrugged, "Yea, so what? It's what Naruto wants as well. To Naruto Sasuke is like a brother…a lost best friend. Naruto won't give up until he brings Sasuke home because Sasuke was the first person to ever acknowledge Naruto. That is the bond they share whether you like it or not. A bond which cannot be so easily severed and one that I intend to take full advantage of."

Hinata was clenching her fists angrily at her sides, "He could die!"

"So?" Sakura declared, "Like I said it's what _Naruto_ himself has chosen. And Hinata hate to break it to ya but Naruto will chose _me_ not you. Naruto should consider himself _lucky_ – I'll give him what he wants – and he'll give me what I want. I think that's what you would call _fair_."

SLAP

Red in the face, Hinata had slapped Sakura back. '_I can't believe she just said something like that! She's going to 'give Naruto what he wants'? That slut! Whore!_' "You…bitch!"

Sakura put a hand to her cheek in surprise. "Shy, hesitant, non-confident Hinata-_chan_ just slapped _me_? I can hardly believe it but…there's another side to you isn't there Hinata-_chan?_ Just like there's another side to me. How ironic. I consider this a declaration of war Hinata – for Naruto. Do you accept?"

A fierce look came to Hinata's eyes. "I won't let you have him, Haruno Sakura."

Sakura smirked. "Bring it."

"Oh I will." Hinata smiled back and flipped her long black hair. The pink-haired bitch was so going down.

***

TBC…

By Sophia Hughlette

Author of the anime-style novel Shinigami Boy

AN: Hey peeps, how did you all like chapter six? Please forgive any errors…I'm kinda sick right now and can barely see the screen lol! I hate being sick ugh! The plot is finally moving forward I think. Poor Sai, I think he's developing feelings for Hinata. And Sakura is definitely pure evil – I wonder what she has planned to make Naruto hers hmm? And how does Yami intend to restore Hidan's mind – the plot is sure to thicken. Please review!!! And hey, you know in the new Naruto Shippuden ending song how there's that hanger with the two names…whose names are on the 'love hanger' anyways b/c that's not put in the subtitles…I'm so curious!!!

Dragon man 180- yea Sakura does have the worst timing!

Dynomike88 – Ah thanks for pointing that out! I'll be sure to make Naruto a 'kit' And I didn't know that the ramen girl had a name…Ayame huh? Thanks!

PaulRap – Indeed.

RoseTiger – lol! Yea Hinata! Spit it out already!!! Don't worry though she will!

LoneWolfBloodStorm – hehe, no this is definitely going to be a Naruto/Hinata pairing. As for what happened between Sai and Sakura…that will be revealed in the next chapter. Dun dun dun.

KageBijuu- hehe thanks! Yea Sakura is going down…eventually.

Sai: I may be able to help with that. Creepy smile.


	7. Chapter 7

Jinchuriki Hinata Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

AN: For some reason there's more smut…and this was really supposed to be an action/adventure fic…what are the characters of Naruto doing?! But at least Hinata finally meets the old Witch and then…!

Chapter 7: Twisted Desires

Yami and Hidan escaped through the forest until Yami decided they should take a break. "Let's stop here and rest, Hidan." Yami declared as she stopped. "I don't think Konoha is following us yet." Yami bit her lower lip thoughtfully.

She set Hidan down and he began to giggle to himself and speak insane gibberish as he clapped his hands together. "Teehee~ that was sure fun, Yami! Why are we running away again? I want to play some more with those brats! Especially that blonde boy – he's tough." Hidan threw his head back and began to laugh some more. "I'll break all the bones in his body next time…crack! Crack! Crack!"

Yami looked down at the broken-minded Hidan. He truly was like a lost child now. It broke her heart to see him like this…her powerful, once savior. She owed so much to him. She shook her head – now was not the time for a trip down memory lane. "Hidan…" He just sat there – unable to move because of his broken arm and leg. "Oh Hidan…there has to be a way to restore your broken mind back to normal. A way to save you from the insanity that is trying to consume you! But how?"

"Jashin-sama! Did you have fun? I gave you a lot of blood and pain today, didn't I?!" Hidan declared happily rocking back and forth. "The pain was really delicious! Gochisousama!"

Yami's eyes widened. '_That's it!_' "Jashin-sama!" Yami leaned over and grabbed Hidan by the shoulders and peered into his face. "He should be able to restore your mind Hidan! We should go to him immediately…to the Temple of Immortality."

"Jashin-sama! Jashin-sama! Ten-tails swish behind you…la la la la la la~" Hidan began to sing.

"_Baka!_" Yami quickly covered Hidan's mouth with her hand and looked around the forest worriedly. "What if someone overhears you? No one must know of Jashin-sama's true nature. You told me this yourself Hidan – to protect this secret with my life. Don't you remember?" Yami took her hand away from Hidan's mouth so that he could respond.

"Jashin-sama! La la la la la~ Blood and pain…death and life…that's what Jashin-sama breaths! Life and Death…my heart beats as one with yours Master Jashin. The hearts of all your loyal follows lie within you la la la la~ We are all a part of the great Jashin-sama! La de da! We are one…Jashin-sama…will conquer the world…la de da!" Hidan continue to sing nonsensically. "Because…because…we can never die! Die! Die! Die!"

Yami shook her head and frowned at Hidan's gibberish. "Hidan…if Akatsuki were to find out the truth about Jashin-sama we would be considered traitors – do you understand? You mustn't speak of Jashin-sama anymore okay?"

"Then what shall I sing about Yami? You?" Hidan quirked his head at her.

Yami blushed. "Well, if you must…"

"Okay!" Hidan declared and began to sing. "Yami….la la la~ my beautiful little broken doll…covered in blood…trapped in the darkness~ then came a light…but the light was also stained red with blood…la de da!~"

Yami sighed and began to bind Hidan's arm and leg, so that the bones could begin to mend and heal. '_We have to go there to where Jashin-sama is…only he can save Hidan…we must go to the Temple of Immortality!_'

Meanwhile, a small bug was watching Yami and Hidan from its perch on a leaf in a nearby tree…

Ironically, a cloaked and masked Akatsuki member was also spying on the strange couple. "Yami…do you intend to betray us? I must report back to Itachi-sama…to the _true_ leader of the Akatsuki…"

The bug raised its wings and took off into the air while the Akatsuki member disappeared with a _pop_ as he used a teleportation _jutsu_.

***

As soon as Shino received the intell from his bug and he had made his report to Tsunade-sama she immediately called an urgent meeting and gathered Sai, Sakura, Hinata, Shikamaru, Temari, Kiba, Kakashi, Yamato, and of course Shino all to her office.

Naruto barged through the door to see that everyone else had already somehow managed to arrive before him. "Tsunade-obachan!" Naruto was still wrapped up in bandages from head to toe and resembled a mummy.

"Naruto!" Tsunade's eyes widened. "Shouldn't you still be at the hospital?"

Naruto put a hand behind his head sheepishly, "Maybe…but when I heard that you had called everyone for a meeting – I got curious. Is it about Yami and Hidan? Did ANBU locate them? Is there a new mission?"

"Naruto!" Tsunade's eye twitched. "Settle down and listen! Ahem!" Tsunade cleared her throat. "As I was saying, according to Shino's spy bug Yami and Hidan are headed to a place known as the Temple of Immortality. They seem to be headed there with the purpose of seeing Hidan's so-called God – Jashin-sama. Oddly enough, Jashin-sama was also referred to as 'ten-tailed' so Hidan's god may actually be a _bijuu_. Because of this Konoha cannot sit by and do nothing. If that _bijuu_ were to fall into the wrong hands…mainly the Akatsuki that would be a _real_ problem. The 10th _bijuu_ is said to be the most powerful of them all. I'm giving you all a new mission: Follow Hidan and Yami to the Temple of Immortality. There you will confirm for yourselves if this 'god' is really the ten-tails or not. Once you've determined this you will receive further orders concerning the _bijuu_."

"What about Hidan and Yami?" Shikamaru questioned. His fists were clenched at his sides.

Tsunade sighed and gave Shikamaru an understanding look. "I understand how you feel, Shikamaru but…you all are to follow NOT engage Hidan and Yami until you have reached the temple. You will pursue them undetected if possible, understand? These are my orders and they are absolute."

"But-" Temari put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder and shook her head at him, she then turned to look at the _hokage_. "Tsunade-sama, may I be granted permission to accompany them on this mission?"

"Temari…" Shikamaru looked back at her in surprise.

Temari gave him a warm smile in return.

Tsunade nodded. "I don't see why not. I wouldn't even be letting Shikamaru go under normal circumstances but…I know he'd go even if I forbid him to." Tsunade let out another heavy sigh. "You kids are giving me too many gray hairs! Anyways, Temari you are to watch out for Shikamaru _ino_? Alright?"

Temari nodded, a fierce expression on her face.

***

FLASHBACK

Temari and Shikamaru had arrived at the Konoha movie theater together and Shikamaru had merely let the over-excited Temari drag him inside. She'd just been dying to see the latest Unlucky Princess movie!

They made their way into the theater and Temari strategically chose them seats that were somewhat towards the back…

The movie began and it was quite good. During the scary moments Temari had thrown herself onto Shikamaru, who didn't seem to mind in the slightest.

Shikamaru had hesitated before gathering his nerve to wrap his arm around her shoulders. Gulp. He only hoped Temari wouldn't kill him or bonk him over the head with that giant metal fan of hers o.o;

'_Kyaaaa!~_' Temari inwardly cheered like a fan girl and had snuggled up against Shikamaru happily in response much to his disbelief. It hadn't been till recently on one of her visits to Konoha when she had realized how she felt about Shikamaru – it had been three years since she'd last seen him and when she saw him again…She had found that Shikamaru had changed. He was no longer the same awkward boy…somehow he was now a handsome young man. He had matured and for some reason her heart had beat a little faster in her chest when she caught sight of him enthusiastically waving in her direction upon having caught sight of her.

"_Oi!_ Temari!"

That's when Temari knew that she liked Shikamaru…she wanted to get to know him more and to be with him more but…unfortunately she lived all the way in the Village Hidden in the Sand. Sigh. It was an impossible dream, but when Temari had gotten Shikamaru's letter and she had rushed to ask Gaara for permission to go and see Shikamaru she had been thrown for a loop with his answer:

Gaara had shrugged carelessly and was that an amused grin trying to tug at his lips? "Sure, and you can stay as long as you want. Long enough to convince this 'Shikamaru' to come back with you to Suna."

Temari had blinked back at Gaara in surprise and her cheeks had turned pink. "_Hai?_"

Gaara couldn't stop the knowing smirk that had formed on his lips then. "I know you must like him. I haven't seen you so…excited or happy about something for quite a while now, Temari. And as my sister…I only wish for your happiness."

"_Gaara…_" Her voice was moved and tinged with a note of surprise. He really had changed…and Temari had a feeling it had something to do with that strange blonde-haired _ninja_ known as Naruto. The boy may have been Konoha's most unpredictable _ninja_ but there was also something else about the boy…something that allowed him to see into people's hearts and change them.

And so that's how Temari had managed to get permission to stay in Konoha for as long as she 'needed'. A cat's paw smile had formed on Temari's face then. She planned to use her time wisely indeed. '_Look out Shikamaru!_'

END OF FLASHBACK

During a rather romantic moment in the movie where the unlucky princess was sharing a kiss with the hero of the storyline Temari found that she just couldn't hold back any longer.

'_Ah! I can't hold back!_' Her head was right next to Shikamaru's – all she had to do was turn her face and then she was placing a kiss on Shikamaru's cheek.

Shikamaru's eyes widened – had he just imagined that?

But then when Temari began to place soft kisses on Shikamaru's neck he suddenly knew that this WAS real and was actually happening – though he still pinched himself to be sure in case it really was just his over-active imagination running away with him…

"Happy Birthday, Shikamaru." Temari had breathed against his cheek sending pleasant little shivers running up and down Shikamaru's spine.

'_Ow!_' Shikamaru yelped, nope this definitely wasn't a dream! _Banzai! _Shikamaru turned to face her and he felt he should try and say something profound like – 'Thank you' or 'Please more'? Gah! Shikamaru shook his head as these sorts of responses came to mind.

But Temari had just been about to place another chaste kiss to the side of Shikamaru's face when he suddenly turned his head to say something to her so that she ended up kissing his lips instead.

Both of their eyes widened simultaneously in surprise – before Temari shut her eyes and leaned into their kiss. Shikamaru felt like he should do something with his hands and put them on Temari's shoulders as he brought her closer and also closed his eyes as he began to enjoy their kiss…

Just as he was moving his lips against hers and Temari was beginning to respond – there was a sudden commotion at the front of the theater as someone rushed inside.

"Konoha is under attack!" The man declared before he suddenly cried out in pain as a red slash wound appeared on his chest and he fell over, a pool of blood forming around him.

Shikamaru quickly scanned the area for any sign of an enemy but found there was no one within the theater with an aura of mal intent. But then how had the man died? Shikamaru's eyes widened – it couldn't be? Shikamaru only knew of one man who was able to kill people like that. "Hidan." Shikamaru declared as he quickly stood from his seat and took off towards the exit.

"Shikamaru!" Temari called after him as she followed close behind.

***

Naruto, Sai, Sakura, Hinata, Shikamaru, Kiba, Kakashi, and Yamato traveled through the forest swiftly in pursuit of Yami and Hidan.

Night fell and Yamato made a temporary Asian-style dwelling made entirely of wood using his Wood Jutsu. The _ninja_ team got ready for spending the night there and unrolled temporary futons as they prepared to turn in for the night. Everyone was already beginning to drift off to sleep, however, there were three people who no matter how much they tossed or turned couldn't seem to fall asleep…

Naruto. Hinata. And Sakura.

Naruto ruffled his hair in exasperation. His foot was twitching back and forth and his leg had begun to twitch as well. He hated sitting still and doing nothing. '_Gah! I can't take this anymore!_' Naruto gave up on trying to fall asleep since he was too nervous and worked up about chasing after Yami and Hidan and decided to sneak in a little midnight training on his _jutsu_…

A cat's paw smile formed on Sakura's face as she felt Naruto leave the room. Chance! This was the purrfect opportunity to put her plan into action. Sakura waited a heartbeat before sneaking out after Naruto.

Sai's eyes shot open in response. '_This is so not good…_'

Hinata, who also couldn't seem to be able to sleep, sighed and sat up in her futon. She looked around to make sure no one was paying her any attention before she decided to sneak out and train as well.

Kakashi let out a sigh. "Don't young people sleep these days?"

Yamato chuckled. "Ah to be young~."

***

Naruto closed his eyes and pondered how to make Rasen-Shuriken a long distance attack. He formed a hand seal, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" And two shadow clones appeared besides him and began to help Naruto form his attack in the open palm of his hand. He concentrated on molding the chakra and elemental wind chakra together as Rasen-Shuriken began to take shape. '_What am I doing wrong…_?'

Crack

The sound of a branch breaking.

Naruto lost his concentration and turned to see Sakura coming out of the woods with an innocent smile and expression on her face.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto furrowed his brows. "What's up? What are you doing out here?"

Sakura shrugged. "Couldn't Sleep. You?"

Naruto nodded back. "Mean neither. I…I need to figure out a way to make a new and more powerful technique."

Sakura stepped forward and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Don't push yourself too hard, _Na-ru-to~_"

"Sakura-chan." Naruto's eyes widened.

Sakura smiled and suddenly pushed Naruto back so that he fell back onto the grassy ground. Oof. And then all of a sudden Sakura was straddling him! She placed her hands on Naruto's chest. "I think you should take a break from all that _training_. You know, relax, unwind…" She ran her hands over Naruto's tense muscles. "_Mou_, Naruto-kun you're so tense. You really need to loosen up and have a little fun." Sakura winked at him.

Naruto looked up at Sakura-chan in shock, his eyes bulging as she ran her hands sensually over his chest and trailed them down to stroke his manhood through his pants-

Naruto let out a hiss. Dang…he was getting hard…

Sakura smirked to herself. Naruto was already putty in her hands.

Sakura unbuttoned Naruto's pants and released his member from the confines of his pants – it sprang free and was already slightly hard just from Sakura's light touches. Naruto swallowed. Sakura crawled down Naruto's body and holding his member gently guided him halfway into her mouth.

Naruto gasped at the sensation and was quickly losing himself to Sakura's skillfully sensual touch…

Sakura moved her mouth up and down Naruto's length, slowly, tantalizingly, hungrily while caressing him with her tongue. She then took him even deeper into her mouth-

Naruto knew he wouldn't last much longer then – he was losing control of-!

"Ah! Sakura-chan!…Please stop! I'm going to-" Naruto was saying brokenly.

"I think you mean 'don't stop'." Sakura declared before she gripped her hand tightly around the base of Naruto's member and quickened her pace, stroking him at the same time as she took him into her mouth.

"I…I…can't!" Naruto declared as he came into Sakura's mouth.

Sakura swallowed Naruto's cum and licked her lips. Yum. She crawled back up Naruto's body, "And we're just getting started Naruto – the best if yet to come – when two become one." Sakura was saying conversationally.

However-

As she looked down into Naruto's face she gasped because below her was no longer Naruto but Sai!

"S-Sai?! How…?!"

Sai blinked back up at Sakura, a blank expression on his face. Inner Sai: '_Shit! I lost control over the Shape-shifting Jutsu when I came! I'm so screwed!_' "I used a Shape-shifting Technique." He replied simply.

Sakura's expression darkened and she glared down at Sai before she then grasped Sai by the front of his shirt collar and brought them nose-to-nose. "How dare you! How dare you trick me into putting my mouth on your filthy dick! I thought you were Naruto! Argh! I can't believe this! You're…disgusting!"

"You didn't seem to think I was so disgusting when I was pleasuring you with my mouth and tongue just earlier today, Sakura-san. It's only fair to return the favor, don't you think?"

Sakura blinked and blushed as she thought back to what had happened between them earlier—

FLASHBACK

Sai had run into Sakura while she had been training at one of the special _ninja_ training grounds that had dummies set up that Sakura was 'allowed' to destroy with her killer punches and kicks. He had surprised her by bringing out a bag of cookies and suggesting that they share the cookies together. Sakura had a weakness for sweets and so had agreed to the strange, pale boy's request.

The two sat side by side, silently while eating the cookies until Sakura had begun to feel extremely…horny for some reason.

Sakura had turned to look at Sai and for some reason as he was just sitting there he looked – _different_. His lips – which he unconsciously licked had seemed extremely tempting – the pale skin of his midriff that was showing because of his signature black belly shirt he wore suddenly seemed tantalizing.

As he ran his hand unconsciously through his hair – Sakura couldn't take it any longer! What was Sai DOING to her? Was he trying to drive her mad with this seduction of his?

Sakura was the kind of girl who when she wanted something she did everything in her power to get it –

And since at that moment she had wanted Sai she simply made a move to get what she wanted and pounced him then and there.

Sakura tackled and pushed Sai to the ground roughly and smashed her lips against his. Sai was stunned but immediately responded to her kiss and lay pliant in her arms. He could feel Sakura rubbing herself wantonly against his thigh as she straddled him-

She wanted, no, needed more friction. She was just _that_ horny.

Sai smirked. Everything was going according to his plan perfectly. As long as he could keep Sakura distracted long enough Naruto and Hinata would have a chance of finally expressing their love. Sai knew the two airheads were in love with each other and that they just needed to figure this out for themselves. But when Sai thought about Naruto and Hinata finally together – his heart clenched painfully in his chest for some reason. No – no! He would protect their love…the love of his Soul Friend #1 and his Soul Friend #2.

Sai shook his head, realizing he couldn't just let Sakura do what she wanted. His mission was to 'distract her' after all and that's what he intended to do.

Sai suddenly had Sakura down on her back. Sakura was flushed and panting and didn't look at all worried. Instead she smiled. "Why Sai I never knew you were this bold."

"Allow me to show you how 'bold' I can be, Sakura-san." Sai declared as he crawled down her body and lifted her skirt.

"-Sai!"

Sai used his index fingers to slid Sakura's pink and lacy panties off and then he lowered his face to her womanhood – burying his nose in her heat to take in her spicy scent.

Sakura blushed.

Sai then had the urge to taste her and so he did so with his tongue lapping at the petal-like folds of her womanhood – he stroked her glistening pearl with his tongue until he had her moaning and writhing beneath him with mounting desire…

"S-Sai! I'm going to-!" Sakura had declared.

Sai smiled against her and inserted his tongue to lick in and out of her, plunging, thrusting his tongue in and out of her while he rubbed at her pearl sensually with his thumb. Sakura couldn't take much more and came trembling against Sai-

"More…I want more…" Sakura breathlessly declared.

However-

That's when Sai's ink-hawk arrived and alighted upon Sai's forearm and reported to him that Konoha was currently under attack.

END OF FLASHBACK

Sakura sputtering indignantly. "That was…I don't know what came over me that time! Keh!" Sakura looked down and narrowed her eyes at Sai. "Why are you doing this Sai? That's twice now that you've 'intercepted' me from getting to Naruto. I'd say it was just a coincidence but…there's no such thing as coincidences – only _hitsuzen_ (inevitability). Spill."

"It's for Naruto and Hinata's sake. For the sake of their love. I will protect their love because they are my Soul Friends…" Sai admitted.

Sakura's eyes widened, "You want to protect their LOVE? Ha! I've never heard anything so ridiculous before in my entire life! Gods, Sai you're so pathetic. I almost feel sorry for you…what could an emotionless Root _ninja, _a killing machine, like you know of _love_ anyways? Although I heard rumors that you were well trained in the art of _seduction_."

Sai's eyes widened. How had Sakura found out about that dark secret of his past?!

Sakura smiled evilly. "Oh yes," she purred, "I know all about how the ROOT trained you to seduce both men and women. In order to assassinate specific targets you were required to seduce or allow yourself to be seduced in order to fulfill your mission. Correct? Which means you're basically a well-trained man-whore. How disgusting…I wonder what your so-called 'Soul Friends' would think if they found out the truth about you Sai, hmm?"

Sai paled – which for him meant he became almost transparent. "No – please…anything but that…Sakura-san…"

"Anything? Okay. I won't tell them but in return you have to pleasure me – the way you've been trained to pleasure a woman. I want the full service deal. The deluxe special treatment _neh?_"

Sai gulped. Sakura-san was scary – she was definitely a woman who knew what she wanted and took what she wanted. There was no escape. Since…he had met Naruto Sai hadn't used his body like a tool – as a means to an end. Before he had given his body no importance but…when Naruto had put his hand on his shoulder and called him 'friend' for the very first time—

An unexpected warmth had filled Sai and in that moment he had realized just how important a _single touch_ could be – how much it could _mean_.

And so after that Sai had sworn to himself not to use his body or let his body be used like a tool. Because touching – being touched – wasn't as meaningless as he had before thought. Naruto had taught him that.

But now…he had no choice but to let Sakura use his body for pleasure and for him to use his body like a tool in order to pleasure her…

Sai's eyes dulled and he nodded back to Sakura obediently, "As you wish, Sakura-san."

A devilish smile formed on Sakura's face as she got up and slipped her underwear off and tossed them aside in a careless gesture. She then straddled Sai again, this time positioning herself directly above Sai's spent member and using her hand to guide him inside of her. "We're going to have LOTs of fun…all night long, Sai." Sakura purred in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Sai gulped as he could feel himself becoming hard once more as Sakura began to move on top of him roughly. And Sai was swept away by a wave of pleasure and pain…

***

Naruto's two Shadow Clones disappeared with a _pop_ and Naruto was now holding a completed Rasen-Shuriken in his hand. He inspected it closely and then let out a heavy sigh before releasing the technique – _pop_.

Naruto ruffled his hair with his one hand in exasperation. What was he doing wrong? How could he make Rasen-Shuriken a long distance attack – or come up with an entirely new attack all together. "I'm such an idiot." Naruto muttered to himself.

"_Ahhh~!_"

Naruto heard the sound of a girl's shriek. His head snapped in the direction the cry had come from. Was some girl in trouble perhaps? Naruto immediately rushed off to see what was up.

Naruto heard the sound of running water as he approached the area where the girl's cry had come from and as he exited the forest he saw a large waterfall.

It was beautiful. The moon's rays were illuminating the water, making it appear like liquid silver and as it hit the rocks below and sprayed into the air the water droplets resembled sparkling stars.

And here in the midst of this romantic setting was a young woman. She was quickly pulling herself up and onto one of the rocks that she had been standing on and that were directly in front of the waterfall. She then resumed her _kata _(martial arts routine) as if nothing were amiss.

The young woman was…breathtakingly beautiful.

Naruto gasped and instinctually hid behind a tree. His back against the tree, Naruto's heart was pounding within his chest, so loudly that Naruto was sure the girl must have been able to hear him. Gulp. '_Ah! What am I doing hiding like this….? I should make my presence known-_' Naruto thought and turned around to peak at the girl once more-

The young woman had long hair and a lithe but petite frame, but what grabbed Naruto's attention most of all was that the beautiful woman was completely naked!! Gulp…as she performed her _kata_ gracefully water droplets were spraying into the air around her. She was completely mesmerizing. Naruto couldn't take his eyes off of her…

Naruto was also unexpectedly hit by this odd sort of feeling of déjà vu. '_This feeling…this must be a dream…_' Naruto decided to himself.

Naruto's eyes were drawn like a magnet to her bare breasts – gulp – Naruto felt a warmth fill his lower abdomen. '_Is it getting hot out here, or is just me?_' Naruto wondered as he loosened the collar of his shirt. Naruto felt…funny and as he looked down at himself he was embarrassed and surprised to note he had a tent in his pants. He was hard – so very hard.

Naruto blushed at his body's reaction to seeing the beautiful naked girl.

Naruto's fingers twitched, '_This is bad but…I can't stop myself._' Naruto couldn't help himself as he slipped his hand into the front of his pants and let his hand grip his painfully hard member in order to give himself a little relief. Naruto hissed – damn it felt so good. He had never been this hard before. No girl had ever stirred this kind of animalistic reaction out of him before.

Naruto kept himself hidden behind the tree as he began to move his hand slowly up and down his own pulsating length. Naruto had to bite down on his free hand to stifle a moan. '_This is so wrong but I've never seen a woman as beautiful as this one before…she must be some kind of kami…I'm so hot right now…so turned on…I want her…gods…I've never felt like this before…this has to be a dream…_'

Naruto began to quicken his pace and stroked himself more roughly as he neared his completion-

That was when the moon's rays suddenly hit the girl's face and body making her pale skin glow but also…

Making the features of her face seem suddenly oh so familiar. Naruto's eyes widened as he recognized her – "Hinata! Oh shit!" Naruto gasped and his manhood twitched and after just two more frantic strokes Naruto came into his hand violently (releasing more cum than he ever had before). Realizing that he had been 'jerking off' to a naked Hinata only turned Naruto on _more_ not less…

And as Naruto lay with his back against the tree trunk, panting for breath, Naruto wondered why that was exactly. '_Shit…this is bad…Kyuubi was right…I've been subconsciously attracted to Hinata all this time…I…want Hinata…_' Naruto blushed at the thought. He removed his hand from his pants and looked at the glistening cum there. He shook his head at himself. '_Gods, I'm so messed up…I can't believe I just did something like jerk off while watching Hinata training in her kata naked. Oh my god….I've become a pervert just like Ero-sennin!!!_' Naruto gripped his head and moaned in despair. '_Noooo~!!!!_'

***

Hinata stopped her _kata_ routine when she thought she heard someone. "Is someone there?"

"Oh shit!" Naruto fled, refaced.

***

Hinata shrugged and resumed her _kata_ that was until she heard the sound of a branch breaking. "Show yourself!" Hinata demanded. '_I hope it's not some pervert!_'

From out of the forest came a cloaked and hooded figure wearing a white _nekomata_ mask with red painted whiskers. It was an old woman – Hinata knew this by the hunched form and slender frame.

Hinata lowered her arms, which had reflexively risen to cover herself. "Who are you and what do you want?" She began, guardedly.

The masked woman quirked her head at Hinata, "Why are you training in the nude? Trying to find a boyfriend, dearie." The old woman teased.

Hinata flushed. "No! I can observe how the chakra flowing through my veins is being controlled by myself. That way I can Master precise control over my chakra and my chakra circulatory system!"

"Impressive, but if I were an enemy it would have been quite foolish to reveal such things to me. One must guard one's _ninja_ secrets with their lives. Understand, dearie?"

'_Shimatta!_ _The old woman is right!_' Hinata bit her lip and nodded, appearing abashed. "Yes, you're right. I was being foolish…"

"It takes a wise person to admit to one's own mistakes. You are wise, Hinata."

"How do you know my name?"

"I've been observing you and the blonde boy, who was watching you train just now…"

Hinata's eyes widened. Naruto?! Naruto-kun had been watching her train…nude?! "Naruto-kun was…!" Hinata blurted out with a note of despair.

The old woman chuckled amusedly, and began to cough. "The boy seems to like you – a _lot_." She smirked inwardly at her inside joke.

Hinata's eyes narrowed, "What's it to you?"

The old woman sighed. "But sadly your love is a star-crossed one I'm afraid. I have foreseen this. That boy…Naruto…will die."

Hinata gasped. "No, that can't be true. You're lying!"

The old woman shook her head. "I am a Seer and have Seen the Unseen for many a year. It is true that I only see possible paths – the future is ever changing after all. People have the power to change their own futures, you see. All that is needed is a strong will or even a wish. The future I saw was of that boy dying at the hands of a ten-tailed monster…"

Hinata gasped and raised a hand to her mouth. "You mean Jashin-sama? How do you know about that?"

The old woman shook her head. "As I've already said before – I See the Unseen. Now, if you wish to stop the future I have foreseen from coming to pass I can help you. But it is your choice to make: whether or not you will accept the power that I can bestow upon you."

Hinata couldn't help but feel a bit curious about this woman and about this so-called power she was offering her. "What power?"

The old woman reached inside of her cloak and Hinata stiffened awaiting an attack, but the woman did _not_ attack and instead pulled out a mysterious item. It was a sphere and trapped inside of this sphere was a glowing purple light.

Hinata focused her eyes on this light but couldn't tell what it was. She performed a hand seal. "Byakugan!"

Hinata's vision changed and she gasped when she saw clearly what was inside of that glass sphere. "_Masaka_…It can't be…that's…impossible…"

"Nothing is impossible. It is just as you suspect – this is the _nekomata_ _bijuu_. The Two-Tail."

"But why would you be willing to grant me this power?" Hinata couldn't help but ask.

"Because of the future I have seen…if the boy dies and Jashin-sama lives…the world will be plunged into darkness. In order to fight a _bijuu_ as powerful as Jashin-sama the power of a _bijuu_ is necessary – in fact it's the only way to ensure victory. Really…giving you the power of the _nekomata_ is the same thing as protecting my own skin, Hyuuga Hinata."

Hinata nodded, "I see…"

"It is up to you now to make a choice. In order to protect the man you love will you accept the power I am able to grant you or will you let your love perish and let Jashin-sama take over the Five Great Shinobi Nations. I have the power to seal the _nekomata_ _bijuu_ inside of you. This will grant you the _nekomata's_ power. Now, what do you say Hyuuga Hinata will you accept?"

"But why me?" Hinata bit down on her lower lip.

"The _nekomata_ _bijuu_ is a bit different from the other _bijuu_ that exist in our world. There is a darkness within its heart…it can consume a weak heart easily. But…I sense a similar darkness within you, Hyuuga Hinata, which means you could truly be the perfect match to the _nekomata_ _bijuu_. I have the feeling that it will accept you and that you will in turn accept it."

Hinata frowned as she looked back at the masked old woman. '_How in the blazes did this old hag get her hands on the nekomata bijuu?! That is the real deal! According to Konoha's information network it was the Akatsuki that had the nekomata bijuu in their possession last. It doesn't make any sense…just who is this old woman really? But regardless of whether or not I can trust this woman or not the one truth that remains is that is the REAL nekomata bijuu. If this woman plans to seal it inside of me…for whatever purpose – then so be it. At least then the nekomata bijuu will be in my possession and NOT Akatsuki's. And…she's right about my lack of power to protect Naruto…_'

Hinata nodded after careful consideration. "I accept your offer, _Obasan_."

The old woman chuckled. "You are indeed brave, Hyuuga Hinata, however, do you realize that there is no turning back? You will become a _Jinchuriki_ if I seal the _nekomata_ _bijuu_ inside of yourself – even then will you still accept?"

"A _Jinchuriki_?" Hinata mouthed. '_Then I'll be just like Naruto-kun. There was always this gulf between us….this I knew…I couldn't truly understand his pain as a Jinchuriki but now…I will finally be able to understand Naruto better by becoming more like him perhaps._' Hinata had a steely look in her eyes as she responded. "_Hai_."

The old woman's mask seemed to smile as shadows flitted across it. "You love the boy that much?" A note of surprise and then. "So be it. You are indeed a brave girl, Hinata-san." The old woman held the glowing sphere in her two hands as she approached Hinata and began to chant the words of the needed sealing incantation. The woman's feet stepped onto the flowing stream and she did not sink but merely continued to walk forward over the water, and towards Hinata calmly until she was standing directly in front of Hinata.

"I will seal the _nekomata_ in your heart…" The old woman explained as she moved the sphere forward and pressed it against Hinata's chest-

The sphere glowed before it passed into Hinata's body and into her heart. The woman's chanting had become faster and more urgent now as the sphere completely disappeared inside of Hinata.

Hinata's entire body was suddenly enveloped in a purple-tinged light and Hinata's body seemed to lift up off of the rock and hover in midair as the old woman began to recite the final words of the sealing incantation. "Seal!" She formed a hand seal and a circular symbol appeared on Hinata's skin directly over her heart, looking like an elaborate tattoo.

As the woman continued to chant Hinata's body remained hovering in midair and Hinata's eyes closed as she was surrounded by coil's of dark power. This dark power…it was entering her…becoming one with her…and her heart. The old woman's laughter was filling Hinata's ears but she barely registered it. And then it was over and Hinata's world faded to darkness…

TBC…!

By *~*~Sophia Hughlette~*~*

**Author of the anime-style novel Shinigami Boy**

AN: How did you all like it? I don't know why the Naruto crew was getting so _frisky_ again in this chapter. Sorry! Don't worry for those of you who like action and adventure a lot of action is going to take place in the next chapter! Thanks for reading! Please review! I live on them!

Uh oh…what does Yami have planned for Naruto and the others?! Will Hinata be able to control the powers of the _nekomata_ or will the dark power consume her? And what will Naruto think when he discovers that Hinata is now a _Jinchuriki_ like himself…?!

Coming soon! Expect an update probably in two weeks or so…I've suddenly become extremely busy doing the illustrations for my new YA novel and of course work. And let me tell you drawing in the manga style is hard! So for those manga artists out there – I feel your pain! Lol!!!! It took me an entire DAY just to complete this one illustration. _Phew~_


	8. Chapter 8

Jinchuriki Hinata Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 8: _Prisoner_

AN: Sorry for the wait! This was supposed to be updated on Saturday…! But at least it's extra long right? Enjoy. Dozo.

Kiba sat up in his futon and sniffed…a very important scent was missing. '_Hinata_.' Kiba looked around once before sneaking out of the temporary cabin to go off in search of Hinata.

"Ah, we lost another one, Kakashi." Yamato's tone was amused.

"Shut up." Kakashi sighed. "_I, _unlike some _ninja_, am trying to sleep."

Kiba ran through the forest following Hinata's unique and sweet scent until he came to the waterfall where she had been training.

There! He caught sight of Hinata's prone form on one of the rocks that lay before the waterfall – she was naked and unmoving.

"Hinata!" Kiba shouted as he rushed to her side. He knelt and scooped her limp body into his arms, cradling her in his lap. "Hinata…wake up…" Kiba's voice was tinged with worry.

Hinata's eyelids fluttered and then she opened her eyes. Her eyes then focused on Kiba. "Kiba…kun? Where…?"

Kiba let out a sigh of relief, "I found you here unconscious. Were you attacked?" A feeling of dread formed in the pit of his stomach at the thought.

Hinata blinked. "Attacked? No…I was training…"

Kiba blushed, scratched his cheek, and looked away as he voiced his next question. "Um, then why are you _naked_?"

It was Hinata's turn to blush and she turned beet red as she realized she was naked _and_ in Kiba's arms. "AHHH!" Hinata's instincts kicked in and she shoved Kiba away from her a little harder than she had intended so that he ended up flying backwards and landing in the pool of water before the waterfall with a gigantic splash. Opps.

Hinata rushed to the bank to get her clothes, which she put on with lightning speed. _Whew~ _

Kiba turned around to give Hinata some privacy while she changed after he had pulled himself up onto the bank. He shook himself like a dog, droplets of water flying through the air.

As Hinata finished dressing she explained to Kiba. "I was training. When I'm naked I'm able to observe my own chakra circulatory system using Byakugan and observe how I control my chakra and how I can improve on this…"

"I see…"

Hinata turned around and saw Kiba with his back to her. '_Such a gentleman, and who said chivalry was dead?_' she smiled. "It's alright now Kiba, you can turn around."

Kiba did so, a lopsided grin on his face, before his expression turned serious. "Hinata…" His voice was stern as he approached her. "I understand _why_ you were training like that but…if you plan on doing any more 'naked training' you really should have an escort. It's much too dangerous otherwise…I don't know if you've realized this yet Hinata but you've grown up. You're not a little girl anymore. You're a beautiful and attractive young woman now." He locked eyes with hers.

Hinata looked back at him in shock. "Kiba-kun…" Kiba thought she was attractive?! She was speechless.

Kiba seemed to realize what he had just said. "Ah! Well, it's true…so if you ever want to train like this again I'd be happy to come with you as your bodyguard alright Hinata?"

"Kiba-kun…" Hinata gave him a shy smile. "Thank you."

Kiba ruffled his hair, beginning to feel uncomfortable. To him Hinata was like a little sister and he just had this 'protective instinct' when it came to her. "Come on, let's head back. Our _sensei_ are probably worried sick about us…we're not the only ones who decided to go out for a midnight stroll apparently."

"Oh?" Hinata began, curious, as she came to walk by his side. "Who else?"

"Well, Naruto and Sakura…their scents were missing." Kiba declared with a knowing smirk.

Hinata's face fell. "Oh, I see…" '_Sakura…you bitch! If you've corrupted Naruto…there's no telling what I'll do!_'

***

Sai stumbled through the forest weakly, and rubbed at his wrists, which pained him. Who knew Sakura was into bondage…She had tied Sai's wrists together for the hell of it…among other things during their lovemaking. Sai's stomach churned at the thought. Sai felt…violated.

'_I'm so pathetic…it shouldn't really matter right? After all I'm a guy – it's not like I'm a girl so it's not an issue about losing one's 'virtue' right? And it's not like I was a virgin or anything but…_' Sai stumbled to his knees and raised a hand to his mouth. '_Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick…_' Sai thought as he suddenly was. Sai emptied out the contents of his stomach onto the grassy ground and he could feel tears prickling his eyes.

Crack

The sound of a branch breaking, Sai looked up to see – Naruto.

Naruto's expression was one of concern. "Sai?"

"N-Naruto…" Sai panted and had to turn away as the contents of his stomach decided to eject themselves once more, but this time Sai found he was only throwing up stomach acid since there was nothing else left in his stomach. Heaving coughs wracked Sai's lithe frame and his body _hurt_. That's when he felt someone rubbing his back soothingly as his body continued to try and throw up.

Naruto was…comforting him.

Naruto furrowed his brows at Sai, "Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did something happen?"

Sai's eyes burned and he swallowed. What was it about being asked 'Are you okay?' that made it suddenly impossible to pretend that he was, Sai could feel himself falling apart. "It's…nothing." Sai's voice cracked and he took deep breaths, while trying to bury his emotions.

Naruto's eyes narrowed at Sai. Sai was displaying an unusual amount of raw emotion for an emotionless _ninja_. Something was wrong – very wrong. "Bullshit." Naruto said firmly and angrily.

Sai looked up at Naruto in surprise.

"Something happened to you didn't it?" Again Naruto looked at Sai and then looked him over closely. Naruto then noticed Sai's wrists and he reached out to grab one of Sai's wrists before Sai could stop him. Sai flinched in pain and gasped. Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he turned Sai's wrist this way and that so that he could inspect the damage – the bruise and redness. "You're hurt. Someone did this to you, didn't they?"

Sai turned his head away, feeling ashamed. "I fell…"

Naruto grabbed Sai by the shoulders and forced the pale boy to look at him. "Stop lying to me! Something happened…someone hurt you! Tell me! We're friends aren't we? I thought we were…!"

Sai's heart clenched in his chest and he looked away. "What if I told you…it was something I let happen or that I wanted to happen…?"

Naruto furrowed his brows confusedly at Sai, frowning, "I'd say you were full of shit. Sai…" Something seemed to click in Naruto's slow brain and he pointed an accusing finger at Sai. "AH! You're in an abusive relationship aren't you?!"

Sai blinked back at Naruto.

"I knew it!" Naruto's expression grew serious, and he grasped Sai's shoulders. "Sai…no matter how much you love someone…it's wrong for you to let that person hurt you, understand?"

Sai was in shock. "Naruto…"

Naruto's grip tightened on Sai's shoulders and he flinched in pain. Naruto's expression turned murderous. "Now – tell me who 'he' is! I'm so going to kick his ass!!"

Sai blinked, "He?" Sai felt a trickle of sweat sliding down the side of his face…

"Well, yea, your abusive boyfriend! I'm going to make that SOB pay!"

Suddenly, Sai couldn't help but laugh – and then he broke out laughing loudly due to the irony and absurdity of the situation.

Naruto just looked bewildered and confused. "_Sai~_ Why are you laughing." Naruto questioned, put out.

"Because…" Sai wiped a tear from his eye. " '_She_' would be pretty pissed you thought she was a guy. And why oh why does everyone think I'm gay?! Ha!"

Naruto blinked at Sai and his jaw dropped. "SHE?! A _girl_ did this to you?! And…YOU'RE NOT GAY?!"

Sai sweat-dropped. "I can't tell which shocks you more…the fact I'm in a relationship with a dominatrix or that I'm not gay. You know, that hurts Naruto." Sai put a hand to his heart and gave Naruto a mock-wounded expression.

Naruto blushed. "It's just…I always assumed, I mean you're just so…"

"So…?" Sai prompted, his voice teasing.

Naruto looked away. "Pretty – for a guy that is."

Sai blinked and then burst out laughing again – Naruto had just called him pretty!! After several minutes where Naruto had also joined in on the laughter, Sai finally managed get himself under control and stop laughing, wiping a tear from his eye he gave Naruto a small smile. "Thanks, I needed that man. Come on, let's go back to the others…Kakashi is probably about to have kittens…what with everyone sneaking out tonight." '_You've saved me again, Naruto…my soul friend…_' Sai couldn't help the warm smile that formed on his face as he looked at Naruto out of the corner of his eye.

Naruto nodded in agreement, hands behind his head, "Yea, you're probably right…poor Kakashi…" '_Who could have hurt Sai like that…the only person I can think of is Sakura…chan._' Naruto hesitated on putting the 'chan' on Sakura's name, which was basically the same thing as Naruto calling her 'Dear Sakura'. '_But would she really do something like that? My Sakura-chan? Impossible…!_'

Naruto continued to pester Sai into telling him who he was 'seeing' but Sai just smiled and remained silent as they walked back to the cabin in the woods.

***

_Akastuki Headquarters_…

Itachi clenched his fists angrily at his sides, his nails dug into the palms of his hand until his hand bled – red drops of blood splattered onto the gray floor.

"Yami…" Itachi growled as he looked at the now empty _bijuu_ holding chamber. The _nekomata_ _bijuu_ was missing. And he knew of only one person who would have been capable of stealing the _bijuu_ right out from under his nose. He strode forward and reached out his hand to touch the containment chamber and his hand came away with a white sticky substance. Spider's silk. "That bitch…first you escape me and hide behind Hidan and now you've betrayed me! You can't run away from me forever Yami – you _will_ be mine." A cruel smile formed on Itachi's face at the thought.

He turned on his heel and left the chamber, intent on his pursuit of Yami and Hidan.

***

The next day, Naruto and the others continued their pursuit of Yami and Hidan through the forest…

At about midday Kakashi stopped the group so that they could take a rest and have lunch. Naruto prepared a cup of instant _ramen_ and contentedly sat and began sipping his noodle soup while the others prepared themselves various quick and easy things to eat.

Kiba got out a Frisbee to play with Akamaru. "Akamaru! Fetch boy!" Kiba threw the Frisbee and it went whizzing through the air, spinning and going at least 30 feet in the air.

Akamaru leapt up and caught the Frisbee effortlessly and bounded back to Kiba excitedly so that he could throw the Frisbee again.

"_Yosh!_ Try this then Akamaru!" Kiba got into a stance and brought his forearm and the Frisbee towards his chest before extending his forearm out as he released the Frisbee while empowering the Frisbee with his chakra at the same moment.

Whoosh~

Naruto's eyes widened as he watched this and something suddenly seemed to 'click' in his mind. The Frisbee flew away from Kiba because of his stance and the way he had powered it with his chakra…the way the chakra had seemed to be spinning. '_That's it!_' Naruto thought. "That's it!" Naruto scanned the group for Shikamaru, who was currently also eating an instant _ramen_ noodle soup a little ways from the group and under a tree. "Shikamaru! Naruto rushed over to him and sat down besides him – I've figured it out!!"

Shikamaru nearly choked on his _ramen_. Cough. Cough. "Figured what out Naruto?" '_Where does he get his energy…?_'

"A way to make Rasen Shuriken a long distance attack! It's just like a Frisbee - with the right stance and if I control the chakra so that it spins out then the attack should work even after it's left my hand-!"

Shikamaru's brows furrowed and he thought about what Naruto was trying to say. The WAY Naruto said it made absolutely no sense but…it was instinct. Shikamaru's eyes widened in awe. Naruto instinctually knew how to make Rasen Shuriken a long distance attack: chakra control. Shikamaru realized that YES it was true if Naruto somehow managed to control his chakra well enough so that instead of the chakra spinning randomly, but in one direction like the Frisbee when Naruto released the attack it should, _theoretically_, spin off and away from Naruto and become a long distance attack but…it would require precise chakra control and not only that – the _power _needed to launch Rasen Shuriken into the air and away from Naruto would be _intense_ and use an insanely large amount of chakra. Stance wasn't pivotal but it too played an important part.

What concerned Shikamaru the most however was the _force_ and amount of chakra that would be needed to launch Rasen Shuriken into the air – it would be incredible and would have to be done _all at once _too. Not enough chakra and the attack wouldn't fly forward enough – too little chakra and the attack wouldn't fly at all. Shikamaru sighed. "I see where you're going with this Naruto but…it's dangerous. Before you try this out there are some things you need to know-"

Shikamaru was saying, when-

A blast of white goo shot at Shikamaru and pushed him back so that he flew through the air and slammed into a tree. The white 'goo' stuck Shikamaru to the tree, effectively pinning him there.

"Shikamaru!" Naruto cried out in shock.

"_Ohohohoho~!_" A cackling and amused laugh rang through the trees of the forest.

Naruto and the others all looked around wildly and frantically.

Hinata recognized that laugh. "It's Yami…"

"Yami." Kakashi echoed, his expression turning serious and calculating.

A strange sound filled the air…

"What's that?" Sakura blurted, sounding nervous. "It's creepy." She shivered.

"Spiders." Shino declared in his monotone voice.

Naruto shot Shino a look. "Spider's? That's not so bad-" Naruto was saying when the creatures began to emerge from out of the trees. "Holy-!"

The summoned spiders were unlike any spiders Naruto had seen before – they were at least the size of Akamaru, had three blood-red colored eyes, and large pincers in front of their mouths that were dripping with green, acidic looking poison.

Naruto watched as the poison dripped down from the pincers and dripped down onto the floor and began to eat away at the earth there – sizzling. Gulp.

Hinata formed a hand seal, "Byakugan!" Her sight was activated and she peered off into the trees of the forest and gasped. "We're surrounded."

"Prepare to engage the enemy." Kakashi declared, taking out a _kunai_ and holding it out before him. "Naruto, Sai, Sakura, you're with me. Yamato – take Hinata, Shino and Kiba. Temari protect Shikamaru-"

"Hey!" Shikamaru objected.

"Roger that!' Temari gave Kakashi a smirk and a salute.

"GO!" Kakashi ordered. And the _ninja_ dispersed to draw the spiders apart.

The demonic _ninja_ spiders emerged from the trees and attacked.

But the leaf _ninja_ were ready for them.

Sai unfurled a scroll and brought out his brush. He put his brush to the paper and began to paint with his special ink that allowed for Sai to transfer his chakra into it. "Beast Imitation no Jutsu!" Sai declared as he painted several _shishi_ (lion-dogs) that all leapt from the scroll and attacked the spiders – pushing them to the ground.

One of Sai's ink _shishi_ bit into one spider, however, and it released a poisonous miasma into the air – a cloud of purple smoke. Shit. Sai's ink _shishi_ cried out as it was dispelled.

"Poison." Sai intoned. "A very powerful one too. We must warn the others."

"Naruto, go and tell Yamato's team to be careful." Kakashi directed him. "We can handle things here."

Naruto nodded. "Right."

"_Hooryah!_" Sakura declared as she leapt up into the air and came down upon one of the spiders and delivered a killer punch.

BAM

The spider cried out in pain as it was killed.

Kakashi gathered his chakra to perform his signature _jutsu_. "Chidori!" A ball of silver, crackling energy formed in Kakashi's hand and he rushed at one of the demon spiders.

The spider leapt up into the air at Kakashi but Kakashi hit it head on and electrocuted the creature – it was blasted back with a cry.

"NO!" Yami cried out in despair as she watched two of her summoned demon spiders be killed. "Damn you all…"

***

Shikamaru and Temari were running through the trees when a thread of spider's silk wrapped around Shikamaru's leg unexpectedly tripping him up. He grunted and was being dragged backwards into the trees.

Temari heard him and turned around. She saw that Shikamaru was being dragged away towards one of the demonic _ninja_ spiders and leapt into action. She whiped out her giant metal fan and leaping into the air came down, swinging her metal fan through the air, and cut through the webbing.

The large spider emerged fully from the trees and pounced at them both. Temari waved her fan so that a blast of wind sent the spider flying back and into a tree. It hit, cried out, and its legs scrunched up as it died in a creepy manner.

Whew~

But then Temari sensed that there was another 'something' about to leap at Shikamaru from the side. "Look out!" Temari cried as she leapt at Shikamaru to knock him to the ground and out of the way-

She was on top of Shikamaru and he couldn't help but notice how her breasts were pressing against his chest. '_Now is most certainly not the time…_' Shikamaru told himself sternly, but his body was ignoring him at this point. '_How troublesome…_'

And then-

A flying squirrel flew over both of their heads and then leapt up into a tree branch directly above their heads.

Temari and Shikamaru both felt trickles of sweat form on their brows in response. That was no spider. Temari gave Shikamaru an apologetic look that was amused at the same time.

Shikamaru shifted under her. "Temari…you can get off of me now. I think I'm safe…"

Temari smiled down at Shikamaru's discomfort and knowingly pressed herself against him while looking mock-concerned. "Are you sure you're okay? Your face looks red and you're all sweaty…?"

Shikamaru was thoroughly embarrassed. "I'm fine!" His voice cracked. '_Definitely troublesome…_'

Temari laughed and got off of Shikamaru, deciding to show him mercy from her devilish teasing, and holding her hand out for him to take as she helped him up. "Come on, Romeo."

Shikamaru blushed and tried to hide his hard on as Temari dragged him by the hand and through the forest.

***

Meanwhile, Naruto rushed through the trees to find Yamato and his team….

Yamato executed a _jutsu_ and vines sprouted out of the earth and ensnared three demon spiders at once.

Kiba and Akamaru leapt into action as Kiba formed a hand seal. "Let's do this Akamaru! Gatsuga! Double Piercing Fang!" Akamaru transformed into a clone of Kiba and together they leapt up into the air and came down in attack upon the captured spiders-

Naruto came across the scene a bit too late. "Wait! Kiba no!"

The spiders were blasted apart – pieces of the spiders' bodies flying off into the air, green acidic poison spraying into the air, but that wasn't all – a large purple cloud of poison began to form and be released into the air all around them.

"What the?" Kiba questioned as he breathed in and immediately started coughing violently.

"Kiba-kun!" Hinata cried in concern and tried to go to Kiba's side but a demon spider stood in her path. Shit.

"Kiba-san." Shino also started off in Kiba's direction but two spiders stood in his way.

"Kiba! Shit!" Naruto called out as he quickly made a hand seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" He made a shadow clone and began to form Rasengan in his hand although this time he made Rasengan about 10X larger than his usual sized Rasengan since his 'target' required it. "Super-sized Rasengan!" Naruto declared as he attacked past Kiba and rushed at the cloud of purple smoke-

The cloud of miasma was sucked into Rasengan as Naruto passed it and then Naruto released his Rasengan so that it kept moving forward through the air and sucked up all of the purple cloud of poison along with it. _Whew~_

"Kiba!" Naruto made it to Kiba and Akamaru's side, where they had collapsed upon the ground. Naruto turned Kiba over and saw the blood tears that were streaming down his face. Akamaru was also plagued by the same odd condition. "Shit – this is so not good."

Yamato materialized by Naruto's side. "They need to be taken to safety-"

"I could-" Naruto started.

Yamato shook his head. "No, I want you to stay here and help back up Shino and Hinata. I'll take Kiba and Akamaru to safety."

Naruto nodded. "_Hai_, Yamato-_sensei_."

Yamato picked up the limp forms of Kiba and Akamaru and disappeared off into the forest.

***

Hinata glared at the large and demonic spider that was before her. She looked past to where she caught sight of Naruto helping Kiba – shit! She wasn't afraid…she was pissed. How dare these stupid spiders hurt Kiba-kun! Kiba was like an older brother to her. She cared deeply for Kiba! Hinata got into a fighting stance and faced her opponent. She observed the spider's circulatory system and could See all of its weaknesses. Hinata smiled, Cheshire-like. This was almost going to be too easy. "Ha!" Hinata cried as she rushed forward in attack. Hinata moved her hands forward and in a series of movements began to cut off the spider's flow of chakra by aiming for its chakra holes.

The spider froze up in shock and Hinata moved in for the kill, moving the flat of her palm forward she gathered her chakra, "Hooryah!" Her hand connected with the stomach of the spider as it tried to leap at her and was blasted back to where it hit a tree trunk with a sickening crack.

Crack

Shino watched as the two spiders closed in on him. Shino sighed. He really didn't want to but sometimes it was best to fight fire with fire _neh?_ And as one Bug Master going up against another Bug Master he wasn't about to be outdone. _She_ wasn't the only one who could summon demonic bugs from the other plane or 'Other World' where highly skilled and trained _ninja_ were able to summon intelligent animals from to aid them in battle.

Shino whipped out a scroll and unfurled it upon the ground, he bit his thumb and placed his bloodied thumb down upon the scroll in the appropriate location. "Demon Bug Summoning no Jutsu!"

There was a large poof of smoke and there materializing before Shino were two gigantic, horned beetles. They were the size of Akamaru or perhaps a little larger and had deadly looking pincers in front of their mouths, which snapped viciously at the spiders as they approached.

Hinata was starting forward towards Naruto when-

"AHHH!" White threads of spider's silk suddenly wrapped around Hinata's torso and arms and suddenly pulled her backwards and into the trees with a harsh yank-

So that she disappeared almost instantly from sight.

Hinata had been taken. Just like that.

"Hinata!" Shino cried out and moved to go after her when a large white glob hit his feet. "Shit." Shino looked down at the spider's web and tried to move his feet but to no avail – he was trapped.

Naruto came running towards Shino. "Shino!"

"Don't worry about me – go save Hinata! She needs you! Go! I'll be fine! I have my summoned Demon Beetles to protect me." Shino urged Naruto.

"Shino…" Naruto looked moved. "I think that's the most I've ever heard you say before – ever."

Shino felt a trickle of sweat form on his brow in response. "Just go, dumbass."

"Right!" Naruto replied as he took off after Hinata.

Hinata was being pulled back and through the bushes and greenery and trees so fast that she couldn't do much to resist. She used her vision to look down at the webbing that was wrapped around her entire torso. She could see the chakra flowing through the spider's silk. She struggled in vain to free herself from it but the spider's silk truly was as powerful and as strong as steel wire.

Hinata turned around to see what manner of creature had managed to get a hold of her and blinked, her eyes growing wide. '_Oh shit.' _

It was another black demonic spider but this one was enormous – about the same size as Tsunade's slug. The spider had eight ruby colored eyes, and blood-red colored stripes on its back. This demon spider before Hinata now was of a whole other caliber than the other demonic spiders had been. This was a demonic spider king.

'_Was Yami really this powerful all along? Just who is this Yami really? To have been able to summon such a creature, she must be-"_ But Hinata didn't have much more time to muse on this fact however – she was being pulled back into the jaws of the spider.

Hinata struggled against the spider's webbing more frantically now. Shit! She was about to be devoured, she didn't know why but when she screamed it came out as:

"NARUTO!!"

"Rasengan!" Naruto cried as he flew through the air, Rasengan in hand, and used the attack to cut through the spider's silk and free Hinata. Naruto grabbed onto Hinata and leapt away from the spider with Hinata in his arms.

"Naruto?" Hinata turned to look at Naruto in shock.

Naruto however was looking at the demon spider king, "Holy Shit."

Hinata looked back at the gigantic spider and nodded in agreement. "You can say that again."

Naruto got a fierce look in his eyes as he turned to face Hinata. "Stay here."

Hinata was already shaking her head, and starting forward- "No, I want to help you, Naruto."

Naruto shook his head. "No, Hinata, it's too dangerous. You'll only get in my way."

Naruto's careless and thoughtless words were like daggers to Hinata's heart, which plummeted in her chest.

'_And I don't know what I may be forced to do._' Naruto thought to himself as he turned to face the spider, a grim expression on his face.

Naruto formed a hand seal as he ran, "Shadow Clone no Jutsu!" A shadow clone formed behind him and he stuck out his hand and formed a Rasengan attack as he moved. Naruto leapt up into the air and brought the attack down upon the spider. "Rasengan!!"

Naruto's attack hit but the spider was completely unaffected. "Shit!" Naruto leapt backwards and away from the spider. What was the spider made out of? Stone? In fact…as Naruto narrowed his eyes at the creature the outer exoskeleton of the spider did in fact resemble a shiny black stone like obsidian. Naruto shook his head, disbelieving. If Rasengan wouldn't work what could he possibly do in order to defeat it? '_Should I try 'that'?_' Naruto frowned. '_What was it that Shikamaru had wanted to warn me about?_' Naruto shook his head. '_It's too risky but…_' Naruto formed a hand seal. "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

POOF!

A hundred or so shadow clones of Naruto appeared out of nowhere.

Naruto slashed his arm through the air in the direction of the spider king. "Attack!"

"_HOORYAH!_" The shadow clones all simultaneously declared as they leapt up into the air and attacked the demonic spider.

The spider made a loud guttural sound like a hiss and attacked – its arms moving through the air and impaling Naruto's shadow clones. The beast was slow but powerful. '_But maybe I can use that to my advantage – it really just might work…and it's not like I have very many options. Yosh! I'll give IT a shot!_'

While Naruto's shadow clones distracted the beast and kept it occupied Naruto prepared for his attack by forming two shadow clones to stand on either side of him. He stretched out his arm and held out his hand, the flat of his palm facing upwards.

He concentrated on mixing both the elemental wind chakra and his normal chakra together to form Rasen Shuriken, however, this time he poured a hell of a lot more of his chakra into the attack AND he also concentrated on controlling the actual movement of his chakra so that it spun like the movement of a Frisbee that was being thrown outwards. '_Almost there…_' Naruto thought as he closed his eyes and concentrated with all his might.

Hinata's eyes widened in horror as she recognized the attack. It was Rasen Shuriken. If Hinata didn't stop him…Naruto was going to end up destroying himself.

"Na-" Hinata cut herself off. If she called out and distracted Naruto while he formed his attack – the result could easily be catastrophic. She had no choice but to wait until he finished forming his attack and then try and convince him NOT to use it!

Beads of sweat formed on Naruto's brow, as he concentrated. Now came the tricky part – it was placing enough of his chakra within the attack so that it would spin out – but as Naruto began to feed his attack his chakra something odd happened-

The chakra as if sensing Naruto's intent began to be drawn into Naruto's attack at an alarming rate, faster and faster, it was pulled, yanked out of Naruto by this unseen force. Naruto could feel the attack itself sucking the needed chakra out of him, almost as if the attack was alive…

And it _hurt_. Like hell. Naruto coughed and staggered forward.

But then, his attack was complete.

Now he just had to use it.

"Naruto!!" Hinata called out to him.

Naruto turned to Hinata and saw her worried and frantic expression. He forced himself to flash her a smile through the intense pain he was feeling. "Hinata-chan, _daijoubu ka_. It's going to be okay. Believe in me. Trust me."

Hinata bit her lower lip and looked like she wished to say more but nodded her assent.

If anything she believed and trusted in Naruto. She loved him after all. With all her heart and soul. '_Naruto…don't lose._'

Naruto turned his attention back to the demonic spider king. '_It's now or never._' "Get ready…to EAT THIS!!" Naruto declared as he rushed forward. "_Ikee!_ Go! Rasen-Shuriken FLY!"

Naruto moved the same way Kiba did right before he threw his Frisbee and then launched the _shuriken_ entirely made up of glowing blue chakra in the spider's direction.

The attack successfully left Naruto's hand and flew through the air towards the demonic spider king at a deadly speed…

Naruto's eyes widened and he let out a breath of relief. "It worked."

There was no way the spider would be able to avoid Naruto's attack due to it's gigantic side.

He had won.

"Naruto!" Hinata called out with mixed glee and surprise.

However-

The spider king suddenly ducked down and flattened itself against the ground, so that Naruto's attack glided over the creature. Naruto's _shuriken_ passed right over the demon spider king and began to slice and destroy the trees it hit which lay behind the spider instead – Naruto watched as his Rasen-Shuriken FLY attack didn't stop either but simply kept cutting through the forest.

Naruto's jaw dropped. "I missed."

Hinata blinked. "That's Konoha's #1 Most Unpredictable _Ninja_ for ya." She put her hands out in a helpless gesture before her. '_The baka…'_

The spider roared angrily and set its sights on Naruto. Naruto moved to take a step back – uh oh. But then his body was wracked by violent coughs. Naruto put a hand to his mouth and when he finally took his hand away he was surprised to see that it was covered in blood-

Oh shit. Naruto's vision was going blurry and he swayed on his feet. '_I'm losing consciousness. This is so not good._'

The spider roared again and surged forward, raising one of its legs and prepared to run Naruto through with it.

"Naruto!" Hinata declared as she saw that Naruto was about to get impaled – she used her _ninja_ speed to get to Naruto's side and pushed him out of the way. She then grabbed Naruto by the wrist and began to drag him off with her. "Let's go!"

Naruto stumbled behind her and tried to keep up. Hinata dragged Naruto behind a tree and set him down. Naruto looked awful – he was pale, his body covered in a light sheen of sweat and he was trembling from the aftereffects of using such a powerful attack. If Naruto's attack had hit the demonic spider king there would have been nothing left. Sadly, the attack had missed.

Now it was her turn. '_I must protect Naruto!_' "Naruto – stay here." Hinata declared as she left the half-dazed, half-conscious Naruto behind and leaning against the tree.

"Byakugan!" Hinata activated her vision as she ran. She could see the creature's chakra circulatory system so there was hope. "Take this!" Hinata declared as she punched forward and aimed for one of the spider's chakra holes.

Hit…! Miss…?

Hinata leapt backwards and away from the spider. She had hit her mark true but with no effect – the chakra point was still intact. Shit.

The spider roared and opened its mouth at Hinata and unleashed a stream of webbing at her – Hinata dodged and leapt out of the way using her extreme agility. Hinata back flipped and a stream of deadly, razor wire-like webbing passed underneath her.

'_There's just no way…I can't pierce that exoskeleton with my attacks! I can't defeat it…unless…the power of the nekomata. Should I try and use it?_' Hinata nodded to herself, decided. There was simply no other way.

Hinata closed one of her eyes – her other eye remained focused on the demon spider king so that she could avoid his attacks-

She then concentrated in entering her 'Inner Mind' which was the only place she could think of where the _nekomata bijuu_ would be able to communicate with her since they had in a sense become one – or rather the _nekomata's_ mind had become trapped within her own.

When Hinata mentally reopened her eyes she found herself in another location…

She had expected to find herself in a place where the _nekomata_ would be trapped in some sort of cage…what she found instead was that _she_ was the one in a cage.

In fact, she was trapped in a large, golden birdcage, which was suspended in a cavernous room from the ceiling. The room was large, gray, and barren but other cages, which were empty, hung from the ceiling as well in a creepy manner. Hinata shivered. Was _this_ truly her 'inner mind'? It looked like some kind of prison…But then where was the _nekomata_?

"Is this…? But then where…?" She mused aloud.

"You called?" Came a mocking voice.

Hinata peered down through the bars and saw a gigantic two-tailed cat pacing beneath her cage…gulp. The _nekomata_ was a beautiful creature with glossy black fur, lavender colored eyes and highlights of purple throughout the creature's coat. The _nekomata_ licked her lips as she looked up at Hinata.

Hinata shook her head, "No…but that's…this is impossible…it's…wrong. This isn't how it's supposed to be."

The _nekomata_ she-cat laughed. "Oh? And what were you expecting, little bird? To NOT be a prisoner of your own mind? For _me_ to be locked up in some cage in _your_ mind? I think not…you are the prisoner here – not me. Hohohoho!"

Hinata was aghast, "B-but…I'm supposed to be able to control you. You're my new power right? You HAVE to help me! We have to save Naruto! I need your help!!" Hinata's voice was tinged with desperation.

The _nekomata_ laughed even louder. "Help you?! That's rich…why in the world would I help you? You…control me? Ha! You're weak Hyuuga Hinata…you have NO right to control me. You are NOT a worthy enough master to control me or for me to bestow upon you my power. You have yet to prove yourself a worthy master to me…and until then I shall NOT help you. _Nya~_"

"_Sona_…oh no…" Hinata moaned, how could she get the _nekomata_ to help her? Naruto's life depended on her – Yami was intent on taking his life! She had to do something… "_Please_…" Hinata began.

"Well," The _nekomata_ purred while examining her long, sharp claws, "There is one way I could help you…and that's if you grant me complete control of your mind and body."

"What…?! But how would I even…?"

"The seal on your cage-" The _nekomata_ explained helpfully.

And Hinata looked at the lock on her birdcage and noticed that there was a seal or paper _o-fuda_ stuck to it – this sacred sutra was keeping her in the cage, but it was also keeping the _nekomata_ OUT – out of her mind and body. She may have been a prisoner in her own mind but she was still safe from the _nekomata_'s control as long as that seal held.

"So what do you say?" The _nekomata_ pressed. "Remove the seal and I promise to save this boy you seem to be so worried about. What was his name? Naruto? Well, it's not like you have much of a choice, after all, you're weak-"

"No." Hinata cut the _nekomata_ off.

"Excuse me?" The _nekomata_ questioned.

"I said 'no'. I'm not stupid enough to fall for your trap, _nekomata_. I will not give you access to my mind or body. If that's the price to pay to use your power then the price is too high. I don't need your power. I will protect Naruto from the Demon Spider King on my own!"

"But- that's…suicide!" The _nekomata_ stuttered.

"Maybe so, but I won't give up. I will only do what I can do, and I will do my best to protect the man I love - Even if it costs me my life. This conversation is over!"

"No wait-!"

But Hinata had already left her Inner Mind.

Back to the Present Reality…

"Ignore her! Get the boy!" Yami's voice rang through the trees. She was too afraid to approach Naruto directly and so had been keeping herself hidden and letting her summoned spiders do all her dirty work for her.

The spider king turned his attention away from Hinata and stalked towards Naruto-

"No!" Hinata called out.

The spider slashed one of its legs through the air and toppled the tree that Naruto had been hiding behind. Naruto was blasted back-

"Naruto!"

Naruto struggled to his feet and faced the spider, a steely look on his face as he prepared to meet his doom head on.

"No!" Hinata cried and used her _ninja_ speed to reach Naruto just as the spider's sharp leg was slashing through the air and almost upon Naruto-

SLASH

Red blood flew through the air.

Naruto's eyes widened in horror. "HINATA!"

Hinata had stepped in front of Naruto just in the nick of time and shielded him from the deadly attack with her own body – hands outstretched beside her –

The spider's leg had come down upon her and sliced open a deadly wound on the front of her torso and chest-

Hinata turned to look at Naruto, who was trembling behind her, blood dribbled down her chin as she spoke and her lavender-colored eyes were losing their spark as she spoke. "Naruto…are you…okay?" Hinata smiled as Naruto's eyes widened and she lost consciousness and began to fall back – into Naruto's arms.

Naruto grabbed Hinata's shoulders and took a step back – his foot met with air. Huh? Naruto turned around too late to realize that he and Hinata had somehow ended up at the edge of a cliff—

A few rocks that had been moved by Naruto's backward motion fell off the cliff and Naruto watched as they disappeared into the ravine, into pitch-black darkness.

The spider roared and raised its leg to attack them again.

Shit. Naruto knew they had no choice but to risk it. He grabbed Hinata more tightly and stepped backwards and off of the cliff. Naruto and Hinata plummeted through the air but instead of hitting the rock solid bottom there was a gigantic splash as the river that was passing through the ravine swallowed them up…

TBC…!

**By ~*~*Sophia Hughlette~*~*~**

Author of the anime-style novel Shinigami Boy

AN: There you have it! An extra long ch 8! I hope you enjoyed that! I finally managed to find some spare time…I've been working hard on my new illustrations for my up and coming YA novel. Please go and check some of them out at http:// (dot) com. And let me know what you think. Seeing the illustrations is kinda like a preview of what the new book will be about.

I'll try and update ASAP but it seems like I'm able to update every two weeks at this point in time…so you have a general idea of when to expect updates. But when I do update, expect an extra long chapter 15-20 pages. Thank you for your patience and your continued support! Please review.


	9. Chapter 9

Jinchuriki Hinata Meow?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 9: _Turning Point_

AN: I got out of my 'funk' long enough to get you all an update for Christmas! I hope you all like it! Merry Christmas everyone!!

Naruto's eyes fluttered open and he groaned – his head, no, his entire body ached. What the hell had happened? Where was he?

Naruto pushed himself up on the sandy riverbank and looked around. His eyes widened when he caught sight of Hinata-!

She was lying facedown on the riverbank, unmoving, a pool of her own blood forming around her.

And then Naruto remembered about how Hinata had stepped in front of the Spider King's attack and protected him, perhaps with her very life. Hinata might even di-

"Hinata!" Naruto yelled as he stumbled to his feet and ran to her side on unsteady feet. He collapsed next to her and turned her over. "Hinata?!" Naruto gripped her shoulder and shook her.

There was no response.

Naruto's eyes widened even more. No, Hinata couldn't…wouldn't die? Would she? '_Hinata…is she going to d-' _Naruto was unable to complete his thought. Naruto was also beginning to panic at the thought of losing Hinata – of her dying. He pulled Hinata into his arms and cradled her frail, petite body. She was so light…weightless…fragile…like spun glass.

"_Yadda_…no…Hinata no! Speak to me! Open your eyes Hinata! Don't leave me!!" Hot tears began to stream down Naruto's face and he could feel his heart breaking. Hinata was going to…was going to…!

'_Calm yourself, kit._' Came a stern voice in Naruto's mind. '_She's not going to die._'

Naruto blinked. '_Nani?_ _Huh?_' He looked around wondering where the voice had come from and realized it was none other than Kyuubi. '_Kyuubi?_'

'_Hai_, _kit, now stop being such an idiot! You're about to have a panic attack. Although I can understand why…I know your feelings for the girl run deep._'

'_My feelings…._'

'_You love her very much._' Kyuubi stated matter-of-factly.

Naruto's eyes widened. '_Love?_'

'_You see – her wounds are already healing._'

Naruto looked down at Hinata in shock and saw in a stunned stupor that Kyuubi was right. The large, ugly, gaping wound on Hinata's chest was closing, the skin knitting back together as if some kind of medical _ninjutsu_ was being used on Hinata.

A purple and black-tinged chakra was seeping out of the wound and it was this same mysterious chakra that was helping to heal and stitch Hinata's wound closed.

The hairs on Naruto's arms were standing on end as he turned his attention from Hinata to that mysterious chakra. It was…intense…malevolent…and oddly familiar. Where was that chakra coming from? Why did Hinata possess two kinds of chakra? Was it a Hyuuga thing? Naruto had an uneasy feeling about all this….

'_Don't worry about things your pea-brain has no chance of working out on its own._'

Chuckle~ chuckle~

'_Instead_, _just be happy the girl will live…that's all you need to know for now. Until you are ready to learn otherwise…Now, the girl is soaked to the bone and freezing. You need to find yourself shelter from the rain, build a fire, and warm her body as quickly as you can. What are you still standing around with your mouth gapping open for, kit! Go!_'

"But it's no rai-" Naruto was saying.

Just as Kyuubi finished his instructions a fierce downpour began, completely drenching Naruto and Hinata. '_H-hai!_' Naruto responded back in his mind as he stood up with Hinata still in his arms bridal-style and took off in search of shelter. He ran down the riverbank and then through the nearby forest. Naruto spotted a cave and he quickly carried Hinata inside. _Phew~_ Now they at least had some protection against the icy, hard rain.

Naruto gently set Hinata down on the hard stone floor of the cave and ran back into the rainfall to find something burnable. Naruto returned with several branches that had been shielded from the rain by a tree's thick, leafy branches and so was still dry and burnable. Naruto tossed the branches on the stone floor and began to arrange them into a mini pyre. Kakashi-_sensei_ had taught Naruto that the best way to build a fire was to lean the sticks together in an upward formation, or pyramid-shaped. This way the fire once lit would breath.

Naruto rummaged around in his _ninja_ backpack for a flint stone but to no avail.

'_Allow me…_' Kyuubi offered. '_Raise your hand towards the fire._'

Naruto blinked but decided not to question Kyuubi. Sometimes it was better to just 'go with it'. Naruto raised his hand towards the pile of branches and from out of the palm of Naruto's hand came a small, tennis-ball sized sphere of fox-fire. It hit the pile of branches, which immediately burst into red and gold flames.

"Whoa." Naruto breathed. "That was fickin cool."

Kyuubi inwardly smiled at the praise. Perhaps the kit was finally learning to respect—

'_Does that mean you could help me with other things? Like…helping me warm my bath water…help me make smores inside the house…or keep the bed warm night…or light the candles at my house during blackouts?_' Naruto questioned excitedly. '_Neh? Neh?_'

Kyuubi felt a trickle of sweat form on his brow. '_Naruto! Shut up, kit! Go and see how the girl is doing…keh…_'

Naruto immediately did as he was told and went over to Hinata's side. The mysterious purple chakra had succeeded in closing Hinata's wound entirely. Whatever that chakra was…it had saved Hinata's life. _Phew~_ Already a rosy-pink glow was coming to Hinata's pale cheeks.

At the sight Naruto was suddenly filled with an immense and nearly overwhelming sensation of relief and feeling of calm. Had his world really felt like it was going to pieces mere moments before? Everything seemed alright with the world as long as Hinata was still there in this world, with him. Maybe Kyuubi was right. Maybe he really did Lo…

Naruto had been unconsciously leaning over Hinata's sleeping form, his lips nearing hers, until Hinata suddenly stirred.

"Mmm." Hinata groaned and her eyelids fluttered open. Naruto leapt away from her before she could have seen what he was about to do. Naruto's face was pink and he tried to look innocent and nonchalant as Hinata turned her head and her soft violet gaze settled on him.

"Naruto?" Hinata tried to move her hand. Naruto noticed and took her hand in his.

"I'm here…"

"Are you alright?" Hinata questioned concernedly while looking Naruto over for any sign of injury.

"Am _I_ alright?" Naruto echoed, his voice cracking. He swallowed. "Yes, thanks to you…you protected me, Hinata. In fact…you risked your life to save mine." Naruto's brows furrowed in confusion as he thought about it. "You nearly died. Why did you do something so reckless?" Naruto was beginning to feel angry suddenly. "So incredibly stu-"

Hinata looked Naruto directly in the eyes and cut him off. Lavender orbs clashing with deep blue. "I love you – that's why."

Konoha's #1 most unpredictable and most talkative _ninja_ to boot was suddenly rendered speechless.

'_I love you.'_ Hinata's words seemed to echo in his mind, over and over again like a song on "loop".

Something warm filled Naruto, some indescribable emotion – what was this feeling that was growing and swelling within him? That was making all this greatest fears and doubts leave him? Why was it suddenly hard to breath? Why did his chest hurt as he gazed upon the lavender-eyed woman before him?

A large smile broke out across Naruto's boyish face and his blue eyes sparkled. Love. Happiness. He had never before felt so happy. A girl had just told him that she loved him…and it was the very same girl that he had fallen in love with. '_Yatta!'_ Naruto inwardly cheered. He had to tell Hinata how he felt the same way! Naruto took both of Hinata's hands in his and looked into her eyes. "Hinata…I…_boku_~…"

"Achoo!" Hinata suddenly sneezed cutting Naruto off.

"Uh…err…I…." Naruto tried to recover and start over.

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!" Hinata began to sneeze consecutively. She rubbed her nose, which had turned red. And Naruto noticed that her skin had turned pale-

"Ugh." Hinata moaned pitifully.

'_Kit! You need to get her out of those wet clothes right away! Before she suffers from hypothermia!_'

'_R-right!_' "Hinata! Take off your clothes!"

Hinata blinked.

Naruto blinked back.

1…2…3…

BOOM

"_Iyyyeee!_ Noooo!" Hinata wrapped her arms around herself. "N-naruto it's too soon!!"

"Huh?" It took a few seconds for Naruto to get it before he began to wave his hands spastically in the air before him. "Ah! That's _not_ what I meant! You've got it all wrong! I! You! Hypothermia! Yea! You'll get sick if you stay in those wet clothes Hinata!" '_Smooth Naruto, real smooth.' _

"Oh." Hinata murmured instantly understanding what Naruto had meant and calming down in record time. "Okay."

'_Women sure can change their moods awfully fast._' Naruto mused to himself and shook his head. _Whew~_ that had been close. Talk about open mouth – insert foot. "Do you…" Naruto trailed off wondering if he was once again treading upon dangerous ground. "Need any help?"

"No – please turn around." Hinata started calmly.

"Right!" Naruto saluted her obediently before quickly turned around. And he then tried his best NOT to picture his goddess, err, Hinata stripping off her wet clothes…gulp…article by article…Naruto's entire body felt flushed and he knew that his face must be bright red too. And then-

"Achoo! Achoo!" Naruto sneezed.

"Looks like someone else needs to get out of their wet clothes too." Hinata declared, a tinge of mischievousness to her voice.

And this was how Naruto and Hinata ended up naked and sitting next to the fire together -- although they both had their backs to each other as they sat on the stone floor of the cave and waited for their clothes to dry.

A heavy, awkward silence seemed to descend upon them.

"_Ano!_"

"Um!"

Hinata and Naruto laughed at this strange and sudden awkwardness that was between them. Was this tension all from Hinata's confession? A confession, which Naruto was still finding hard to believe – despite how much he wanted to. "_Ano_…Hinata-_chan_…what makes you think that you're in love with me?" Naruto held his breath. Naruto had learned early on that in his life things that were too good to be true…usually were…

"I don't '_think'_ I love you Naruto-_kun_." Hinata placed a hand over her heart. "I know that I do. I've known…for a very, very long time actually…" Hinata took a deep breath and all the thoughts and feelings that she had for Naruto seemed to be rushing out of her lips as if a damn had been broken. "I fell in love with you from the very first moment I laid eyes upon you back when you entered the Konoha Ninja Academy. For me, it was love at first sight.

You were…you've always been 'beautiful' to me, Naruto. Your blue eyes captivated me from the very beginning. I'd never seen anything like them before. And in your eyes I saw something familiar which drew me to you, a similar _loneliness_, but also a thirst to prove yourself – to gain acknowledgement. But I also saw exactly what I lacked: this _strength_ to make a desire a reality. A strong fiery will…a Will of Fire.

Like a moth to the flame I was drawn to your will of fire. I knew in that exact moment that I would love you forever…regardless of how you ever felt about me. These were my feelings…this is my love, which bloomed the moment I saw you.

I admired you and your perseverance against all odds and against the opinions and judgments of others. I wanted to be more like you. So I followed you…observed you…and each day I tried to be more like Uzumaki Naruto even if only just a tiny bit. I wanted to change…

But even as I changed…so were you. And you were quickly leaving me behind. I couldn't change fast enough to keep up with you…and so I was left alone…and then you left Konoha. That's when I doubled my efforts to change even more, so that when you got back we would be on more equal footing and so that you would finally _notice me_." Hinata finished and held her breath wondering how Naruto would respond to her confession of her feelings…and of her 'stalking'.

"Notice you?" Naruto repeated, blinking. "But I've always noticed you Hinata-_chan_. I…like to think that we've been friends all this time even…we are friends right now aren't we, Hinata-_chan_? You're speaking as if we're strangers…it…makes me sad." Naruto's blue eyes darkened.

"Naruto – I – yes we're friends, of course we are. But…." Hinata couldn't stop herself from regaining her stutter finally and tapped the tips of her fingers together. "I wanted you to notice me…as a w-woman." '_Aw man. And I was doing so good too, come on Hinata keep it together!_'

"Hinata…" Naruto swallowed. "I already have…you are a kind…powerful…and beautiful young woman, Hyuuga Hinata." '_I can't believe I just said that! Booyah! I am so the man!_'

'_I wouldn't be patting yourself on the back just yet, kit. You still haven't told the girl that you love her._'

'_Piece of cake, you damned fox. You just sit back and watch Uzumaki Naruto, the man, make his move! Ha!_' "_Ano_ Hinata…there's something I want to tell you."

"Hm?"

"Truth is…Hinata I really lo-"

Zzzzzzz

But Hinata had fallen asleep and let out a loud snore. Naruto felt a trickle of sweat form on his brow as he peaked behind him to see that Hinata had curled up on her side and was fast asleep. Naruto ran a hand through his blonde hair and mussed it up in an irritated gesture. '_Aw man…and just when it was getting good too._'

**Chuckle~ Chuckle~** Kyuubi laughed amusedly in Naruto's mind, deep, throaty chuckles. '_Better luck next time, Uzumaki Naruto, "the man" Hahahaha~!_'

'_Oh shut up._' Naruto blushed.

***

Naruto and Hinata had both fallen asleep and that was when the tailed-beasts within the two _jinchuriki_ began to stir…

Naruto suddenly sat up and rubbed his eyes while Hinata sat up and blinked. A pair of golden eyes clashed with deep velvet.

"Nekomata-_san_…_sashiburina_~long time no see." There was a teasing edge to his scratchy voice.

"Kyuubi-_sama_." Nekomata nodded her head ever so slightly; her voice tinged with sarcasm with the use of '_sama'_ and an unmistakable glint was seen in her eyes.

Kyuubi smiled a foxy grin. "You have lovely eyes, Nekomata-_san_. Just as I remember."

Nekomata scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. I have no interest in you, except for the fact that my host seems to be in love with yours…"

Kyuubi nodded. "Ah, yes, and my host also appears to be in love with yours. Ah, to be young and in love. Jealous perhaps, Nekomata? You must be how old now, a hun-"

Nekomata cut him off. "This will be problematic."

"Or it could be mutually beneficial." Kyuubi easily parried.

Nekomata recognized that mischievous glint in Kyuubi's eyes: the trickster fox was definitely up to no good. She raised an eyebrow just the same, her curiosity getting the better of her. Curiosity killed the cat as they say. "How so?"

"I propose an alliance. With our powers united we would be an unstoppable force…"

"And your aim?"

"Has become the same as the kit's: the destruction of the _Akatsuki_. I will not stand by and allow Itachi to continue to oppress and exploit our kind."

"Itachi? You sound as though he is the true leader of the _Akatsuki_?"

"That's because he is. The others are dummies…mere shields to protect him while he fulfills his own objective."

"Which is?" Nekomata pressed.

Kyuubi shrugged. "Of that I am not sure. Conquest. Power. Or perhaps something more…? Who can say? But anyways I think you should allow Hinata the use of some of your power…"

"Ha!" Nekomata laughed, throwing back her head, "Why should I share my power with the likes of this mere Hyuuga girl! Hmph! She is _nothing_."

"I would not underestimate Hyuuga Hinata if I were you. There is more to her than meets the eye. I sense within her a great power or ability that has yet to be awakened and I am sure she would be able to handle controlling your 'dark' charka with more control, precision, and skill than any before! She truly is the perfect host for you, Nekomata-_san_. I believe it would be folly of you NOT to ally your power with the girl…"

Nekomata's temple throbbed in irk at the way Kyuubi-_sama_ was speaking of that mere human girl, Hyuuga Hinata. She had never heard Kyuubi-_sama_ speak that way of anyone. '_Just what's so special about that girl anyways, hmph!_' Nekomata mused to herself, but then tapped her chin thoughtfully. "And you're telling me all this – why? What do you get out of this exactly?"

"Well, I was hoping you could give me a hint on how Naruto could improve his latest technique: Rasen-Shuriken FLY."

"Ah, yes, Rasen-Shuriken FLY…well it's quite impressive and deadly – that is if it doesn't miss its target." Nekomata bit back a laugh.

Kyuubi blushed. "H-he gave it his best shot!"

Nekomata was unable to hold back her laughter and it broke free in merciless waves, she wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh alright! Stop looking so pathetic and forlorn over there – you look like a dog that was just told by his owner 'no steak bones for Christmas!' I'll give you a hint – chakra strings." She smiled a cat's paw smile.

"Chakra strings?" Kyuubi gave her a blank look, not seeing where she was going with this.

Nekomata nodded. "Usually only spider types can use such a technique but I think the almighty Kyuubi-_sama_ should be able to handle it."

Kyuubi's eyes widened as he began to understand what Nekomata was hinting at. "I could kiss you!" Kyuubi made a move to hug Nekomata.

Nekomata's eyes shinned, eerily reflecting the fox-fire, "Try anything funny and you're dead." She deadpanned.

Kyuubi stopped mid-leap and pouted. "Why do you always have to be such a kill joy, my sweet _konekochan_!"

Nekomata's eye twitched, "How many times have I told you NOT to call me that!?"

"Oh only 129 times." Kyuubi responded back innocently.

"_Mou!_"

***

The following day…

Naruto and Hinata stirred awake and turned to look at each other, their eyes met and they both blushed simultaneously.

Naruto was the first to break their sudden awkward silence, "Ah, I'm going to go, uh, get us some breakfast! Be back in a jiff!"

Hinata nodded, "A-alright." She watched Naruto high-tail it out of the cave. She let out a heavy sigh. Was Naruto avoiding her? After her bold confession the night before…did Naruto not feel the same way? And was that why he ran away?! Argh! Hinata grasped at her long hair as her face turned even redder. "Did I make a mistake in telling him my feelings? _Ah~_ I never should have told him…now he'll just keep running away from me. Oh Naruto-_kun_…it was better when you didn't know." Hinata could feel her heart breaking…

***

Naruto rushed outside of the cave and headed towards the river. Once there he absentmindedly sent a Rasengan into the river and several fish floated to the surface as a result. Naruto let out a heavy sigh.

"Argh! Why did I just run away from Hinata-_chan_ back there? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I have to tell Hinata how I feel as soon as possible. My heart is telling me…" Naruto placed a hand over his heart. "I have to hurry and tell her."

'_Indeed. Be a man, kit, and tell her you love her. This is beginning to get painful to watch._'

'_Oh shut up, damned fox. I'm working on it. First things first…girls like a guy that can cook right? Yosh!_' Naruto retrieved the fish and set about making a fire by the riverbank, before he put the fish on sticks and began to roast them.

The smell of cooking fish soon captured Hinata's attention and she emerged from the cave, rubbing her eyes and appearing to still be a bit sleepy.

"Is that fish?" Hinata questioned.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically as he watched Hinata approach, like a dog with his tail wagging behind him as his 'Master' approached. Hinata thought he was looking especially cute while he was so excited. "Yep! I cooked them…for you." Naruto beamed at her.

"Oh – for me?" Hinata repeated, savoring the phrase and trying hard not to blush or to read too deeply into things. This was Naruto: there usually wasn't anything too deep when it came to him after all. "Thank you. _Arigato_."

'_Your culinary talent amazes me, kit._' Kyuubi drawled in Naruto's mind, his voice drenched with sarcasm.

Naruto blushed and turned his face away from Hinata so that she wouldn't see his embarrassment.

Hinata sat down and began to devour the fish. Once Naruto turned back to face her even he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her current actions: the usually 'dainty' and 'neat' Hinata was eating the fish quite messily and enthusiastically and with great vigor.

"Mmm!" Hinata crowed. "This fish is just so delicious! I just love fish!!" Hinata stuck a big bite into her mouth. She suddenly looked up and caught Naruto's surprised stare. Hinata swallowed and then licked her lips self-consciously. "It's really yummy…I couldn't help it…"

Naruto broke out into a grin. "Don't hold back, Hinata-_chan_. They're all for you after all. Heh heh."

Hinata gave him a tremulous smile back. "Thanks."

The two then began to laugh together.

_Chance!_ Naruto could practically _see_ the hearts that were floating around in the air around Hinata – although they were from the fish and _not_ him, but that was beside the point, really. _Yosha! _

Naruto decided he would try and confess his feelings to Hinata again. "_Ano~_ Umm~ Hinata-_chan_, you see, there's something I've been meaning to tell you, I lo-"

"AHHH!"

A familiar scream rang through the nearby forest.

"Sakura-_chan_?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Sai-_kun_?!" Hinata blurted.

Naruto and Hinata both looked at each other and frowned.

"_Ano_, Naruto-_kun_, I'm pretty sure that scream just now was Sai-_kun_…"

Naruto waved a hand before him in a dismissive gesture, "_Iye, iye_, no, no, I can assure you that scream just now was Sakura-_chan_."

Hinata gave Naruto a stubborn look, refusing to agree with him, and Naruto simply stared back at her while being equally stubborn.

Hinata coughed. "At any rate we had better go and investigate. Someone needs our help, Naruto-_kun_." Hinata reminded him.

Naruto's expression turned serious and he nodded. "Right."

Naruto and Hinata headed in the direction from whence came the scream. It directed them to a forest and as soon as Naruto and Hinata entered the forest a thickening gray fog suddenly surrounded them.

As Naruto and Hinata continued to run through the forest the fog around them seemed to be getting thicker and thicker.

"Hinata-_chan_, stay close so that we don't get separated-" Naruto turned to face Hinata only to see that she was no longer at his side. "Hinata?" Naruto called out into the fog. "Hinata?! Oh…shit." Naruto cursed. Hopefully, there wasn't anything too out of the ordinary about this fog or else Hinata-_chan_ could be in real danger.

Naruto ran off in the direction that he thought Hinata might have gone. He suddenly skidded to a halt. He couldn't see an inch in front of him but something told him there was now a presence before him. "Hinata-_chan_?" Naruto questioned softly.

And then he sensed the attack. Naruto leapt backwards just as the giant leg of the Spider King came crashing down where Naruto had been standing only mere seconds before. The impact of the spider's leg formed a crater in the forest floor and sent dirt and rock up into the air.

"Holy shit!" Naruto cursed as he strained his eyes to see through the fog. 'I can't see! Shit!'

'_Calm down, kit._' Kyuubi snapped in Naruto's mind. '_Close your eyes and focus – focus on the chakra energy signature of the spider…the spider should become visible within your mind's eye._'

'_Easier said than done! You expect too much from me, bastard fox_.' But Naruto did as Kyuubi directed and closed his eyes and reached out his senses…at first Naruto didn't sense or see anything but then…

He sensed something – Naruto dodged sideways barely missing getting impaled from another of the Spider King's attacks.

_There!_ The malevolent energy aura…of the Spider King was intense, bright, flaming. Naruto could "see" it. In fact, Naruto was surprised that he had never noticed the intense aura to begin with. It was so incredibly powerful.

'_Heh, I can't believe I managed to do it. Am I really that good a ninja? I must be. I so rule._' Naruto smiled goofily to himself.

'_Don't get cocky, kit. You aren't out of the woods just yet. We need to finish that bastard off! Use your new attack!_'

'_Nani? What?! You want me to use Rasen-Shuriken FLY? But it's a hit or miss, one shot deal. If that spider somehow manages to evade the attack again…I'm as good as done for._'

'_I have a plan. I want you to attach chakra strings to the Rasen-Shuriken after you let it fly. Got it?_'

'_Chakra strings? I don't get it…_' Naruto scratched the side of his cheek in bafflement.

'_You don't have to! Just do it!_' Kyuubi shot back.

'_Alright already geez, here goes nothing! I sure hope you're right about this, damned fox._' Naruto formed a hand seal, "Shadow Clone _no Jutsu!_" Two clones materialized in front of Naruto, who held out his hand. The two clones immediately began to help form Rasen-Shuriken, molding the chakra and wind element chakra together, and also controlling the chakra so that it was spinning off in solely one direction.

In moments Naruto's attack was complete. "_Yosha!_" Naruto's two shadow clones popped out of existence. "Now where are you hiding, Spider King-_teme_?!"

Naruto closed his eyes and reached out his senses to pinpoint the location of the Spider King. The gigantic demon spider was directly behind him. There! Naruto swiftly turned and prepared to throw his attack getting into his special stance. "Rasen-Shuriken FLY!" Naruto roared as he released his attack. "_Ikkeee!_ Gooo!"

The spinning blue-tinged _shuriken_ of chakra energy sped off into the air and towards the Spider King.

"Please hit this time!" Naruto wished as he attached chakra strings to his attack as Kyuubi was directing him to do in his mind.

The attack whirled through the air and was almost upon the Spider King when the demon suddenly leapt high into the air—

Rasen-Shuriken began to pass harmlessly under it.

'_Shit! I failed-!_' Naruto was bemoaning in his mind.

'_It's not over yet, kit. Use the strings! You still haven't lost the attack, run at the Spider King – jump above him and pull the strings with you. He's in the air now and so can't move again. He's completely defenseless and right where we want him. Now go!_'

Naruto didn't have time to process Kyuubi's command only to act and act he did. He rushed in the direction of the Spider King, leapt high into the air above the creature and then pulled on the chakra strings – hard.

The Rasen-Shuriken followed Naruto's movements and changed direction. The gigantic shuriken was now approaching the spider from the forest floor.

The Spider King realized what was going to happen but also realized there was nothing it could do. So it let out a hateful insect-like cry as it was hit by Rasen-Shuriken dead on.

"This is for Hinata, you bastard spider!" Naruto declared. _'For daring to steal the life of the woman I love. I will show no mercy.'_

A blinding light filled the fog-filled forest – a screeching insect cry filled the air. The light engulfed the Spider King and it looked as if the Spider King was being destroyed from the inside out.

Naruto landed on the ground, panting for breath. As the Spider King's lifeless body curled up and landed on the forest floor Naruto wiped the sweat from his brow. _Whew~_ "I…did it. I actually did it! I defeated the Spider King. _Yatta!_" Naruto jumped high into the air. "Am I a totally kickass _ninja_ or what?" Naruto grinned to himself goofily.

'_Ahem, aren't you forgetting something, kit? Like a: 'thank you, oh wise, powerful, and handsome Kyuubi-sama for telling me how to defeat the Spider King'?_'

'_Ah! You're right…thanks!_' Naruto grinned. '_How did you know that would work anyways?_'

'_A little cat-bird told me…_'

'_Huh?_'

'_Nevermind that now…you should go and find Hinata-san, I have a feeling she could be in danger. This fog…and that scream was clearly a trap set up by Yami._'

'Shit. You're right. I'm coming Hinata-chan!!!'

***

TBC!!!

AN: Well, there you have it, that chapter was supposed to end at the end of the Nekomata Kyuubi chat but then I thought to myself 'hmm, this chapter had no action' and so threw in Naruto's confrontation with the Spider King as a bonus. Hope you all liked that. I already have part of the next chapter written and will try to get that up for you all soon. I will promise monthly updates from now on, so for now I don't have to worry about breaking promises lol. I DO have an ending planned and in mind for this fic. I won't drop it kk. Please let me know what you thought of this chappy. Thanks.

Oh and I have a question. I kinda want to write an original romance, comedy…but…is the humor I throw in here for example funny? I personally think I have a very strange sense of humor…hehe! Let me know peeps!


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